DreamWeaver
by TwiAddictAnne
Summary: Some dreams we forget … some dreams we remember … and some dreams we weave together in one. We call those dreams life. A story of fragments of dreams, life and of course, falling in love. A WitFit written by flashfics. All Human. Canon couples. Rated for language and adult situations.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Twilight Saga isn't mine, no matter how much I wish otherwise.**

**A/N: This is a new journey I'm starting. It's called WitFits. I'm gonna write a chapter everyday with the prompts I find waiting for me, and you will get an update everyday as well. :)**

**Thanks to the amazing Rochelle Allison for guiding me toward this adventure. Love you, Ro. xo**

**And thank you to all my readers for taking a chance on me. I hope you enjoy the ride. ;)**

**Chapter-1: Invitation**

**Word Prompt: **Invitation

**Dialogue Flex: **"It's clear we're not on the same page."

I let out a frustrated sigh and look at the woman sitting across from me. She smiles in what she must think of a very sexy manner, but to me, it looks more like the wicked grin of one of the witches in the old cartoons.

"Honey, come with me. It'll be fun," she insists once again.

I start to shake my head even before she's finished talking. "No, Tanya. Thank you for the invitation, but I'm not going to this party."

"Why?" she asks with a pout. "Are you that busy in here?"

I shrug. "No, I'm not." She opens her mouth to speak, but I continue, shutting her up. "I'm not going because I don't want to."

A crestfallen look crosses her face, making me fell slightly bad for being so blunt. Rubbing my hand over my face, I tell her, "Look, we broke up months ago. I've moved on with my life, and I think it's time for you to do the same."

Her eyes narrow as my words register in her mind. "Is there someone else?"

I feel my anger rising and I snap at her. "I don't feel obligated to answer your question. Just know that our lives are separate from now, okay?"

"You don't know that ..." she mumbles, and I finally lose it.

Standing up from my seat, I say as calmly as I can, "I think you should leave, Tanya. This discussion isn't going anywhere. It's clear we're not on the same page here. So until you get there, I think you shouldn't come here."

She looks scandalized by my abruptness. "You said we'd be friends when you broke up with me," she hisses to me.

I nod. "Yes, but you inviting me to your sister's wedding as your date is _not_ friend-like behavior. So … goodbye, Tanya."

After throwing one last disdainful glare at me, she walks out of my office, allowing me the reprieve to finally let out a sigh of relief.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

After the Tanya-debacle is over and done with, I decide it's time for me to take my lunch break and enjoy being a free man again.

I choose the café across from my office simply because Tanya hated that place. Being a little spiteful is only human, right?

As I'm about to enter the café, I see a woman stand in the doorway, partially blocking the entrance. I prepare to tell her to move away and look into her face, and immediately, I feel like I've swallowed my tongue.

_She's beautiful._

There she stands, in the entrance of a crowded café, but her face is lifted upwards, as if inviting the sun to kiss her skin. In the bright rays of the spring sun, she's the most beautiful creature I've ever laid my eyes on. The smile that stretches on her lips as she inhales deeply makes me smile as well.

Following her gaze, I look up at the sky, and suddenly realize that the sky looks beautiful as well. _Has it always been so beautiful? Why haven't I stopped to look at the sky before?_ I ask myself.

I tear my eyes away from the breathtaking sight only to find her gone.

I search around, hoping desperately to see the long brown ponytail that glows red in the sunlight once again, but all I'm met with is disappointed.

_My mystery girl seems to have vanished in thin air … for now._

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	2. Chapter-2: Shelter

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-2: Shelter**

**Word Prompt: **Shelter

**BPOV**

"You're late … again," my Dad grumbles at me as I walk through the front door.

I give him a half-shrug and say, "Fashionably late, Dad. So that doesn't count as late."

His mustache moves a little as he laughs at my excuse. "You seem happy. You were looking at the sky, weren't you?"

"Nope," I say with a grin. "I was looking at the sun today, actually."

"Right, big difference," he responds with a chuckle. "So you ready, kid?"

"Are you?" I shoot back at him before running out of the house and making a dash for the shelter behind the house. His bark of laughter follows me as he slowly makes his way behind me.

By the time he reaches the shelter, I'm armed with my favorite Winchester rifle and ready to go.

He takes a look at my choice of weapon and nods appreciatively. "Sticking to your old gun, Bells?"

I smile at him. "With my old man as my coach, why shouldn't I?"

He pats my back as we both walk out to the field where he keeps the targets ready for us to practice on.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

About two hours of shooting practice later, I'm sitting on my parents' front porch when my mom walks out of the house with three glasses of lemonade on a tray.

My dad groans as he shifts to accept one of the drinks, grunting out a thanks to mom.

Mom reminds him about the Seahawks game he wanted to watch, and instantly, his exhaustion is forgotten as he walks inside the house, cursing himself under his breath for forgetting about it.

She waits until he's out of hearing range before sitting down next to me and offering me a glass.

"Thanks, Mom," I say gratefully as I hold the chilled glass of drink in between my hands.

She smiles at me and takes a sip of her drink. And then, she clears her throat.

_Oh hell, no! I know what _that_ throat-clearing means._

Right on cue, she asks the question she just loves to ask me, "So, sweetheart, have you seen anyone lately?"

"Yeah …" I start, making her smile wider, and then I continue. "I've seen a lot of people today: the lady who works at the café I go to, the security guy who works in my place, dad and now you."

My smug answer makes her sigh with frustration. "I meant _boys_, Bella."

I pretend to think for a moment before saying, "Dad and the security guy are both boys."

She shakes her head at me. "Why do you do this? You know what I'm asking about."

"And you know that I'm not gonna go begging for a boyfriend, Mom," I tell her.

A frown appears on her face. "I just want to see you happily married, baby girl, and you can't have that unless you get back in the dating pool."

I offer her a small smile, letting her know that despite understanding her intentions, I'm not going to be pushed into anything. "I know, Mom. If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. You can't put a timeline on something like this. I'm not saying that I won't date ever, I'm just saying that I haven't found someone yet. Do you understand where I'm coming from?"

She seems to think for a moment before nodding. "I think so. I'm not saying that I like it, I'm saying that I understand it."

"That's all I ask."

She smiles at my reply, and after stealing a glance at the door, whispers to me, "Just promise not to scare any boy away with you gun-slinging, okay?"

I laugh at her assumption and wink, not making a promise I might not be able to keep.

**A/N:** **So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Since Sundays are "reflection days," I don't get a prompt on Sundays. So no updates tomorrow.**

**See you on Tuesday.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	3. Chapter-3: Stencil

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-3: Stencil**

**Word Prompt: **Stencil

**Plot Generator—Binding Blurb:** In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about **making a mountain out of a molehill.**

**EPOV**

"Get the fuck out of my office!" The sound of yelling pulls me away from the stencils I am working on, and I cautiously make my way to the detonation zone.

Before I can knock on the door, I hear another angry bark come from inside, "Out, Stanley. Come find me when you finally manage to locate your brains."

The door opens, and Jessica Stanley, my sister's assistant steps out of the room. She glances at me and mutters a barely-audible 'hello' and then walks away.

I knock on the door and enter. "Rose, what's wrong?" I ask carefully.

My elder sister lets out a sigh and slowly raises her head to look at me. The look on her face tells me that if I value my life, I should keep quiet.

"I need a new assistant," she says to me.

I frown at the suddenness of her declaration. "Did Ms. Stanley do something wrong?"

Jessica might be a little _too friendly_ at times, but I know she can do her job. She used to be my assistant before I got promoted a few months ago.

Rose's voice oozes frustration as she responds, "She forgot to send an important email about the Volturi Project."

"But work on that project isn't due to start for another couple of months at the least. So why …?"

She throws her hands up in defeat. "Fine! Blame it all on me for being a little proactive. I'm the office bitch anyway."

I shake my head at her. "No, Rose, you're not a bitch, I didn't mean it like that," I say, feeling confused about her attitude.

A moment of silence follows in which I debate on flat out asking her why she was making this such a big issue, but then decide to take a different route. "Is this about the divorce?" When she turns her scorching glare at me, I try to clarify. "Did Royce try to contact you?"

She shakes her head quickly, pauses, and then slowly, gives me a stiff nod. Her eyes fill with tears ready to spill over. "He … he called me this morning. He said he'll drag me to court over this," she says in a heart-breaking whisper. "Ed, I didn't mean to do it. I swear."

I walk around her desk in a few strides and pull my sister in a hug. "Shh … Rose, calm down. I know you didn't mean to," I tell her over and over while wishing like hell that my sister didn't have to go through this shit-storm.

When her sniffling dies down, I step back to look at her face carefully. "You can take the day off if you want, Rose."

She sighs. "No, I need to be able to endure it. I won't let him make me feel like a monster for something I didn't do on purpose."

"Good," I say.

As I walk out of her room, I feel a newfound respect for my sister.

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	4. Chapter-4: Stub, Club, Flub

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-4: ****Stub, Club, Flub**

**Word Prompts: **Stub, club, flub

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

"Come on, come on, come ON! Say you'll go," Alice, the humanized version of the energizer bunny and unfortunately, my best friend, nags as she pulls me by the hand.

Just as I expected, I stub my toe at the table as I try to scramble up to my feet. "Ouch! Alice, slow down!"

She glances at my now throbbing foot and clucks her tongue shamelessly. "You're always getting hurt," she says as if this time I did it on purpose.

I poke my tongue out at her and say, "You are the one who made the flub."

She raises her eyebrows at my unusual choice of words. "Flub? What the hell did I do to your clumsy ass?"

I stick my nose up in the air and reply with an air of superiority, "You thought I was the _Energizer Battery_ to your _Energizer Bunny_."

She's stunned silent for a moment and then, she's laughing in guffaws. "En-energizer bu-bunny?" she asks with a sputter. "You know that sounded dirty in my head, right? You're funny, Swan."

I shrug and grin at her. "I know."

Throwing her arm across my shoulders, she grins back at me. "And I love you for it." As an after-thought, she adds, "And I might be responsible for the toe-stubbing back there. So I'm sorry."

I hug her and give her short hair a small tug. "You're forgiven, bun."

She giggles at my name-calling and just as I turn my head to look at her, my eyes find purchase on something behind her … or to be more specific, some_one_ behind her.

Behind Alice stands a good-looking guy, like _really_ good-looking guy. A guy with pretty green eyes and silky-looking bronze colored hair that is arranged in perfect disarray. What strikes me the most about his appearance though is the smile on his lips as he stares right at me.

_Who is he?_

_Do I know him from somewhere?_

_His smile is pretty …_

Random thoughts race through my mind as my eyes lock with his. I see his eyes widen before quickly darting away from mine, looking at anywhere but me.

His behavior sparks my interest and I move my glance back on Alice.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow night?" she asks out of the blue, and I realize that I must have blocked her out while eyeing up the pretty guy.

"Huh? What's tomorrow night?" I ask.

She rolls her eyes and says in an exasperated voice, "Bel—la! We're going to the new club tomorrow night. Emmett got us tickets, remember?"

"Oh, club, right," I start, and she narrows her eyes at me. "Don't you even think of making up an excuse for not going out tomorrow."

I let out a short laugh and give her a shrug. "You know I can't dance, but hey, I guess even I can do something better than Emmett's chicken dance."

She smiles widely and kisses my cheek before giving me a wave and walking out of the café.

Stealthily, I turn to look at the pretty guy, only to find the spot where he stood is now empty.

_When did he slip out of the store?_ I wonder and then shake the thought off. _Well, at least I found my something pretty to look at for today._

**A/N: So, ****_Mystery Girl_**** has spotted ****_Pretty Boy_****! Thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.**

**I know I'm being too slow with the review replying, but I will get back to you with replies soon, I promise. Until then, please know that I read each and every one of your reviews. They mean the world to me. They make me think that I can dream a little bigger. ;)**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Keep an eye out for teasers for my other WIP, Redemption of A Lost Soul, tomorrow on FB and Twitter. :)**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	5. Chapter-5: Barren

**Chapter-5: Barren**

**Word Prompt: **Barren

**Dialogue Flex: **"We should leave early."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

After talking to my sister, I return to my cabin, feeling like a shitty brother for not being able to take her pain away. _I should have had the presence of mind to make her quit or take time off when there was still time_, I chastise myself, think back again and again to what I could have done to help avoid the situation.

However, in the back of my mind, I know. I know that it was something none of us expected to happen. _Rose was right_, my subconscious tries to soothe me by saying that things like this are out of our hands.

In my preoccupation, I don't register Ben Cheney, my oldest friend and now assistant, walk into my room. "Edward, you okay man?"

I start at the sound of his voice and try to smile at him, hoping he wouldn't notice the worry on my face. Unfortunately, he knows me a lot better than I expect him to.

He takes off his glasses and closes the door behind him before speaking. "Are you worried about Rosalie?" he asks without any preamble.

I don't even try to deny, instead, I nod. "She's just so sad all the damn time, man," I tell him, running a hand through my hair in hopeless frustration. "She looks so lost at times ... so _barren_, like someone has stolen away her reason for living."

Having grown up with Rose and me, Ben knows a lot about my sister's wild-child teen years. With a sad smile on his face, he asks, "She used to be so full of life before all these went down. Remember how she loved to dance when we'd go to clubs?"

"Yeah," I join in his reminiscing. "I know I said that those clubs were like torture-houses, but I'd gladly go to any club if it means that she'll be herself again."

"Even a gay-bar?" he asks with a twinkle in his eyes, probably trying to make me lighten up.

I shrug. "Sure, as long as my dick's still mine and not in some guy's hands, I'm game. I remember her wanting to go to the one uptown when it first opened."

His smile broadens. "Do you think you can get her to come out? I can manage us passes to get in."

"How?" I ask with a frown. "Isn't that one super exclusive?"

"It is," he assures me. "But you, my friend, are Edward freaking Cullen, CEO of Cullen Dreams Ltd., the best fucking architectural farm in all of Seattle. Dropping your name will do the trick. Hell, dropping _my_ name should do it!"

I laugh at the overly dramatic way he says my name. "Fine. You do the name-dropping and I'll go do the Rose-management."

"Cool," he says with a grin. "We should leave early tonight then. They only admit a certain number of people each night."

"Deal."

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I curse myself for being late to pick up my lunch as I make my way to the café across the street. I worry that I might have missed my chance to see if Mystery Girl would come today as well.

But the moment I step into the store, I feel a smile stretching my lips. There she stands—with a shorter, black-haired woman— talking animatedly with her companion.

Forgetting about buying my lunch, I find myself standing there and simply looking at her. The sunlight that streams in through the window makes her hair seem more red than brown. The sound of her laughter makes me smile without any reason.

Suddenly, she tilts her head to the side, and our eyes meet. For a moment, I feel my eyes lock on her as she stares at me. Then I realize what I must look like—a pervert, ogling beautiful women in coffee shops.

I pull my gaze away from hers and pretend to look at anywhere but her. I hear her laugh at something her friend says and smile before walking out of the cafe, feeling better about my day already.

It's only when I'm at the elevator and pressing the button for my floor, I realize that I didn't even get my lunch.

_Mystery Girl, what are you doing to me?_

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Redemption of A Lost Soul teaser is coming up on FB and Twitter tonight. ;)**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	6. Chapter-6: Glasses

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-6: Glasses**

**Word Prompt: **Glasses

**Scenario: **Never again will I let my friend talk me into…

Complete the scenario in any way, in any style, and for any word count. Open your mind and follow where it leads, writing as you go.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Looking cool, baby sis," Emmett McCarty, my cousin and other best friend hollers at me as he walks into my apartment.

I smile at him and ask hopefully, "You think so?"

He frowns and scratches his chin thoughtfully before responding. "Yeah, you just need a gravy stain or something equally disgusting on your shirt to complete the ensemble."

"What?" I'm confused.

With a stupid smile on his face, he nods. "That's assuming that you're going for the hobo look, of course."

"You are a fucking asshole, Em," I aim a kick at him, and naturally, miss him by several inches.

He holds his hands up in surrender and snickers. "It's not my fault that you decided to opt for the hobo look."

I narrow my eyes at him and through gritted teeth, ask him to repeat himself.

This time, he seems to have gotten a better grip on his stupid sense of humor as he says, "We're going to a club, baby sis. So you need to put on some sexy shit aside from that T-shirt."

I look down at my Bon Jovi shirt and scowl at him. "You said we should dress down ..."

He starts shaking his head at my words. "No, I said that _I_ should dress down. I didn't say anything about_ you_."

"What's the difference?"

"What can I say, sis? I'm just too sexy for my own good," he says sardonically before forcing me to turn back toward my bedroom. "You go put on something nice or I won't be used as your human shield in the face of the Tsunami that is our sweet Alice."

Rolling my eyes at him, I do as he asks._ I already agreed to go out tonight for Alice; might as well wear something pretty to appease Emmett._

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

An hour later, I find myself cursing the moment I agreed to come out tonight.

Emmett maneuvers his body away from an upcoming butt-smack, making the owner of the hand barely graze his butt as he carries our drinks to our table.

Placing the glasses in front of us, he takes in my glaring face and pinches my cheeks. "Why the long face?"

"Long face? I was going for the death glare," I hiss out at him. "Emmett, you brought us into a gay bar for crying out loud."

He shrugs. "So? It's fun. Besides, Alice was just as much interested in coming here as I …," he stops talking and screws up his face. "As me? Fuck! Grammar is hard."

I don't even try to correct his grammar as usual. Instead, I turn my face to the girl sitting beside me, who's currently leering at another woman across the bar just for the fun of it. "Alice?"

She looks at me and mouths, "The bet."

Immediately, I'm reminded of the reason behind the interest in this bar in the first place, and I turn back to Emmett. "Oh really?" I ask, turning the glare back on. "Rumor has it that _someone_ wanted to find out how many gay men they could attract if we came here."

"Well someone was curious," he says with a grin.

I poke my tongue out at him. "Well, that someone sucks."

Before he can respond to me, a guy walks up to us and asks Emmett for a dance—which the fucker gladly accepts. Sending a gleeful look at the two of us, he lets the man lead him to the dance floor.

I shake my head at his antics and vow to myself to never again let my friend talk me into going to a gay bar.

And that's when I see it. _That_ shade of bronze.

_Hmm … maybe the gay bar wasn't such a bad idea after all._

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Redemption of A Lost Soul update is now live. Check it out and let me hear your thoughts. ;)**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	7. Chapter-7: Laundromat

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**This one got wildly out of hand (word count-wise), so now, you have a mega-flash. Happy reading. :D**

**Chapter-7: Laundromat**

**Word Prompt: **Laundromat

**Plot Generator—Phrase Catch: **I have a bone to pick with you.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Surprisingly enough, when I tell Rosalie that Ben has gotten us passes to the most exclusive gay bar in Seattle, she doesn't flat-out say no. She hesitates for a moment, chewing on her lips seemingly engrossed in deep thought.

Sensing her hesitation, I say to her that this can be the first step of her "moving on" from what happened, and then, I clarify that by _"this"_ I mean going out and having fun, not specifically going to a gay bar.

My trick works, and she gives me a grateful smile before ruffling my hair just the way mom does at times, thanking me with her eyes.

Instead of scowling at her like I usually do on such instances, I smile back. One smile on my sister's face means a lot to me.

Now, as I walk beside Ben, moving along the line to get inside the bar, he says to me, "I gotta hand it to you, Ed, you did good in getting her out of that office. But dude, you could've done fan-fucking-tastic if you had just managed to make her wear something other than that boring business suit."

I give him a look that says _are-you-nuts_ as I reply in a low voice, "We came here from work, Ben. She wore that suit to work. There was nothing I could do."

"Still …" he continues. "How are we gonna find someone to hook her up with if she's dressed like that?"

I shake my head at his idiocy. "First of all, if you're thinking of hooking her up with someone, you should've taken her somewhere _other_ than a place where most of the male population plays for the same team." He opens his mouth to say something, but I shut him up with a glare. "And, second, don't you dare say anything about my sister hooking up with someone. That's something no brother wants to hear."

He rolls his eyes at me, as if I'm being melodramatic, and says, "She's like a sister to me too, you idiot. But the way she's been acting around the office, I figured she might be a little horny."

"Gross!" I pull a face at him and say sternly, "You better shut up about her being horny. If she hears this, she might very well take you to the nearby Laundromat to give you a whitewash."

We both chance a glance at her and see that she's looking down at her feet. _She's still not our Rose,_ I think and then motion for Ben to follow me.

Together, we step up on either side of her and each take one of her arms like perfect gentlemen. She smiles at the two of us, and we enter the bar with my softly laughing sister.

_If this makes her happy then maybe coming here wasn't a bad idea._

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

My feelings about the gay bar not being a bad idea changes drastically within twenty minutes.

In those twenty minutes, I've been sent drinks by multiple patrons of the bar, complimented on the cute couple Ben and I make, asked for a dance by two men at the same time, and I'm fairly certain that the man who pretended to brush off dust from the seat of my pants gave my ass far too many squeezes than necessary if at all.

After twenty minutes of enjoying my nightmare, Rose excuses herself and walks away from the loud music to take a call.

Slumping back on my seat, I take a long drink of the beer the winking bartender left in front of me when Ben snickers at me. "Dude, you sure that's clean?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I growl at him, already cursing him for coming up with the idea to come to this hellhole.

"I dunno," he replies thoughtfully. "The way people are eyeing you up, I won't be surprised if someone lines your drink with GHB, you know, the date-rape drug?"

My eyes widen and I start coughing, making him grin gleefully. "You're an asshole, Cheney!" I spit at him.

I poke my tongue out at Ben in a purely childish fashion. To which he responds with his disgusting kissy face.

That's when someone taps me on the shoulder.

Turning around, I see a short, black-haired woman standing behind me. Her face seems familiar to me, but for the life of me, I can't place it. "Yes?"

She sneaks a look at Ben before looking me up and down, and then she speaks. "Excuse me, Mister, but I have a bone to pick with you."

"Do I know you?" I ask her, trying to keep my voice as polite as possible while wondering who the hell she might be.

"Technically, no," she says, her voice sounding a little drunk to me.

"What's the problem?" I ask with a frown.

She sways on her feet a little as she holds a threatening finger up at me. "You. You are the problem. You are the only guy my best friend has called _'pretty'_ in a long time, and you turn out to be dating this matchstick," she says in a breath, gesturing wildly at Ben as she calls him a _matchstick_.

"Who's your … friend?"

"Alice! Shit! When did you get here?" A voice exclaims from behind the Drunken Chick, and I lift my eyes to see none other than my Mystery Girl standing there.

My mouth drops open the moment it registers to my brain that if Drunken Chick thinks I'm gay then Mystery Girl must think so too!

_Fuck my life!_

**A/N: Poor Pretty Boy! :P**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	8. Chapter-8: Sprawl

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-8: Sprawl**

**Word Prompt: **Sprawl

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

When I see Pretty Boy walk into the bar, I find myself smiling, and then, I remember where we are. A gay bar! Holy fuck! He's _gay_? The sight of the skinny bespectacled guy next to him only solidifies my speculation.

"Oh crap!" I mutter a curse under my breath, making Alice look up at me.

"What's up, buttercup?" she asks me with a half-smile on her face.

I glance at the empty martini glasses sprawled on the bar in front of her and get ready to face drunken Alice, who happens to be quite the vicious Alice.

"It's nothing, Al," I tell her, trying to cover it all up.

However, she points a finger at me and says sternly, "You don't lie to your best friend, buttercup. Now tell me. What's gotten your panties in a twist?"

Knowing that she won't let it go, I answer in a low voice, "There's this guy I saw at the café today. I thought he was pretty."

She bumps my shoulder with hers and grins. "Oh! You have a crush, B?"

I shrug, not sure if that classifies as a crush yet, and say, "It doesn't matter anyway. He's here with another guy."

Alice's eyes narrows as she looks around the crowded dance floor. "Show me where," she almost growls out the words.

Grabbing her chin in my hand, I move her face in a 45º angle and point to where Pretty Boy sits with his boyfriend on the other side of the bar.

"Who, the matchstick?"

Her question makes me laugh a little, assuming the name _Matchstick_ refers to the guy in skinny jeans, I shake my head. "Nope, bronze-head."

She lets out a 'humph' before getting back to her drink and leaving me to go back to watching Emmett do his famous chicken dance with the dude who asked him to dance.

It's only when the bartender asks me where my friend went after ordering another round, I realize that Alice isn't with me.

I don't even have to search too far to locate her. As I look around, I see her small figure towering over Pretty Boy, shaking a finger in front of his face.

_Fuck! What's she doing there?_

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Alice! Shit! When did you get here?" I yell over the loud music as I grab my friend's arm.

Pretty Boy leans to the side and glances at me. Our eyes meet. His eyes widen and his mouth goes slack.

_Fuck! He recognized me. This is awkward!_

I look at about a foot over Pretty Boy's head when I apologize to him on Alice's behavior. "I'm sorry for my friend's behavior. The drink must have gone straight to her head."

"_Friend?_" Pretty Boy asks with a slight arching of his eyebrow.

Alice catches his tone and steps around me to glare at him. "Yes, _friend_. We're just friends," she says with jerking her thumb in my direction. "My girl here likes _dick_, not unlike you, Mister PB."

"Did you just call me Peanut Butter?" he asks, sounding confused.

She pffts at that. "No, PB stands for 'Pretty Boy.'" Turning to me, she adds, "I must tell ya, B, he doesn't look _that_ pretty from up close. You think the Matchstick is casting a shadow on the prettiness?"

The Matchstick, as Alice has so aptly dubbed him, downs the shot he holds in his hand before scrambling up to his feet. "Watch who you're calling a Matchstick, you lighter!" he snaps at her with a glower.

"I'm so sorry for ruining your date," I squeak out to Pretty Boy before tugging on Alice's hand.

Thankfully, she lets me lead her away from this possible train wreck.

Just as we're walking away from them, I hear Matchstick yell at us from behind. "And in case your dick-loving girl was wondering, my boy here is all about pussies."

_Alright, God, you can now open up the ground to let it swallow me up._

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**No prompts mean no update tomorrow. See you on Tuesday.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	9. Chapter-9: Crumple

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-9: Crumple**

**Word Prompt: **Crumple

**Dialogue Flex: **"What else do you want from me?"

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

That night at the gay bar, I saw my Mystery Girl walk away with her friend, and with her, all my hopes of pursuing her crumpled away.

I spend the weekend by cursing the fuck out of Ben, who surprisingly thinks he did me a great service by announcing to the whole crowd that I loved pussies. Yes, his crude declaration did stop the guys from trying to feel me up for the rest of the night, but there was something about having my sexual preferences announced to the crowd that still makes my ears heat up.

On Monday morning as I see Ben walk inside my cabin, looking like everything was fucking dandy, I scowl at him.

"Whoa! What's up with your forehead? It's twitching a little," he says and even tries to poke the vein that twitches there whenever I'm furious.

"Shut it, you ass." I flip him off. "It's all your fault."

"Dude! You aren't still on about that, are you?" he asks with wide eyes. "You really like that chick, don't you?"

"Really? What clued you in?"

He scratches his head and starts talking, "The way you're glaring at me …" he sees the intensity of the said glare increase and finally has his light-bulb moment. "Oh! You were being sarcastic. Sorry."

Shaking my head at him, I sit down on my chair.

"So what's the plan now?" he asks after a long moment of silence. "You see her during lunch time, don't you? What are you gonna do today?"

I rub my hands over my face and finally mumble the only logical way to tackle this. "I'll have a late lunch today so that we don't cross paths."

"Aw man! I'm sorry for my lack of verbal filter, bro."

I wave him away, knowing that as ridiculous as the situation was, he was trying to be my wingman … sort of.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

By the time I get to the café, it's almost two in the afternoon. I take in the mostly empty café and let out a sigh of relief.

_She must have come and gone already._

I look at the food items on the display case and make up my mind to get a ham burger before taking my place behind the only guy in the line for the cash counter.

With my back to the door, I hear the door open followed by the tinkling of the small bell placed on top of it. I barely pay attention to anyone around me as I scan through my messages on my phone, waiting for the guy in front of me to finish up.

"Next!" the woman behind the counter calls, and I step up.

I open my mouth to place my order, and that's when I hear it.

"Oh for fuck's sake! What else do you want from me, Alice?" a familiar voice asks from right behind me.

I carefully tilt my head to the side to see none other than my Mystery Girl standing behind me with her back turned toward me.

_Oh fuck! She hasn't seen me yet, has she?_ I wonder as I turn my head back to the woman waiting for me to order.

"Alice," I hear her grit out the name in exasperation. "I cannot describe what he looked like. I'm not damn Wordsworth. You should've looked with your eyes open that night if you wanted to see his _pretty_ face."

Pretty? I remember her friend telling me that she has been calling me pretty. _I don't know how I feel about being called pretty actually. On one hand, the word _pretty_ sounds so … feminine, but on the other hand, her calling me pretty must mean that she likes me, right?_

My train of thoughts is cut short when I hear her speak into the phone clutched to her ear once more. "You remember there being two guys, right?" she stops to listen before continuing. "Well, the one who screamed about pussies is the guy you named Matchstick, and the one who _supposedly_ likes pussies is Pretty Boy. Clear enough?"

"Not _supposedly_, I really do like pussies." She whirls around to face me and lets out a gasp.

_What …?_ And then, it hits me. I said the words out loud instead of just thinking them in my head.

_Can this get any worse?_

I get the answer to that question in a just a second when she says to her friend, "Hey, Al? I just ran into the Pussy-lover Pretty Boy."

_God! Kill. Me. Now._

**A/N: *Cackles* So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	10. Chapter-10: Flagpole

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-10: Flagpole**

**Word Prompt: **Flagpole

**Plot Generator—Idea Completion: **Race to the finish line.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The moment the words escape my mouth, I wish I had a stapler at hand so that I could staple my lips shut forever.

He just stares at me with his mouth hanging open just a little bit. I see the tops of his ears turn red and feel the blood rush to my cheeks just thinking what I just said.

"Bella? What the fuck?" I hear Alice yell from the other side of the phone. "What happened?"

"I'll talk to you later," I mumble before hanging up.

An awkward silence hangs between us while I chew on my lips and think of ways to apologize for calling him pussy-lover to his face, and he just continues to stare at me.

"Oye!" a loud voice calls out from somewhere behind him, and thankfully, the awkward moment dissolves, until it returns ten-fold stronger when the woman manning the café continues to speak. "Look, can you order first before you get into this pussy-or-hussy debate? I haven't got all day to stand here and watch you two eye-fuck."

Her crude words make us both jolt back into movement, and for a moment, we both try to step up to the counter. It looks like a sad race to the finish line … which happens to be two steps away.

Our awkward scramble makes her laugh as she shakes her head at us. "You two poor kids look like you need some time to talk," she says, giving us a pitiful look. "Why don't you get your food and take a seat there? You sure seem like you want to talk."

I murmur thanks to her, and Pretty Boy slowly steps away, nodding his head to me. _He let me go first. So he's a gentleman and he likes pussies, _I mentally note. _Not a bad deal, at all._

Once I'm armed with my favorite doughnut and chicken sandwich, I linger next to the counter and walk in snail's pace to see what he'll do.

"Umm … would you … uh …" I hear his voice from behind me and turn back to look at him.

He has a ham burger in one hand while the other hand rubs his face roughly as if he's trying to scrub off his skin with his fingers.

"Something wrong with your face?" I cannot help but ask him, feeling a smile tug on my lips.

His hand stops in mid-scrub, and he moves it to meet my eyes. He looks completely serious when he says, "No, my face is alright. I've heard that _some_ people even refer to me as _pretty_."

I let out a bark of laughter at that, but compose myself quickly.

A smile creeps on his face as he motions to a corner table. "Would you like to sit with me for a little bit?" His voice is the perfect mixture of shyness and sweetness, and I don't care how this sounds like lunchtime on first day at high school, I find my legs moving toward the direction he pointed to.

When he sits down across from me, I surreptitiously notice the lack of rings on his fingers.

_So he seems available._

We both concentrate on our food and for the next few seconds, silence surrounds us before he speaks. "Why pretty?"

"What?" I stop on my way to take a bite of my sandwich.

He chews the food in his mouth, and then explains his question. "There are a lot of adjectives out there to describe a man. So why did you pick 'Pretty?'"

I shrug and say the first thing that comes to my mind. "Maybe because you're pretty?"

He chuckles, and I feel like he's laughing at my choice of words. Narrowing my eyes, I ask, "Would you prefer Pussy-Loving Pretty Boy instead?"

His eyes widen and he shakes his head quickly. "No, no, pretty boy is good. Better than anything else I've been complimented with."

Snickering at him, I take a bite of my food. The clock hanging behind the counter catches my eyes and I frown. It's later than when he comes here. I know that because I purposefully came late, hoping to avoid any awkward run-ins.

_Well, that worked out so well_, I think sarcastically and let out a laugh.

His eyes snap back to mine and he raises an eyebrow at me, silently asking me what was so funny.

"It's two in the afternoon. It's later than lunch hour," I say in the way of explanation.

He grins. "I was looking for a flagpole when I heard your voice."

My eyes widen thinking why on earth would a straight guy look for a _pole._

He must catch the look on my face because he starts shaking his head vehemently. "No, no! Fuck! Not _that_ kind of pole. I meant an actual flagpole to hang a white flag from … you know, to call a truce?"

I carefully let out a sigh of relief.

You can't be careful enough with guys who hangout in gay bars of all places these days!

"I like the sound of truce," I say before going back to my food.

We finish our meal in silence and when I'm standing up from my seat, he follows my lead. "I'm Edward, by the way," he says, rubbing the back of his neck with an apprehensive look on his face.

"Bella," I answer his unspoken question quietly.

He smiles and asks, "Can I …" he stops, and then starts again. "Will it be okay if …"

I stifle a laugh at the adorable way he seems to trip over his own words and decide to help him out. "Maybe I'll run into you on my lunch break again sometime?"

With a wink at him, I exit the café.

As the door closes behind me, I think I hear him say, "That would be great."

Smiling at Pretty Boy Edward, I go back to work, feeling way better than how I felt walking into that café.

**A/N: Houston, we have first introduction!**

**So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	11. Chapter-11: Stoop, Loop, Hoop

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Tonight I thought we could take a look into someone else's dreams. So … shall we?**

**Chapter-11: Stoop, Loop, Hoop**

**Word Prompts: **Stoop, loop, hoop

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Lousy fucker!" I curse as I slam my phone down on my desk and slump back in my seat; suddenly feeling like all my energy has been drained out of me.

I shake my head in disbelief as the words he spoke not five minutes ago keep coming back to me. I knew from the beginning that our marriage was one of convenience and not love, but somehow I held onto the hope that one day Royce might see me as something other than a way to get his inheritance.

That was my first mistake.

My second mistake was expecting him to show a little decency after almost a whole year of marriage.

_I cannot believe that he threatened to drag me to the court over this!_ I think to myself, wondering how he could stoop so low.

Before I can start moping like usual, my phone chimes, indicating an incoming message. I check the message and feel my lips pull upwards in a smile.

**_Good morning, Miss Rosie. How about a chicken dinner tonight?_**

Even though there's no name at the end, I know it's him. The guy who made me smile after a long time …

**~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~**

Sighing at Jessica-dimwit-Stanley's incompetency, I slide my phone into my purse and start making my way to the bar where I can see my brother and Ben.

However, as I'm walking by the dance floor, I feel a hand wrap around my wrist. I look sharply at the hand holding my wrist and then at the owner of the said hand. A middle-aged man with slightly graying hair stands before me.

Seeing a guy close to my father's age, I repress the snarky cuss I was ready to throw at him, and instead, opt for giving him a 'what's-up-dude' look.

He slackens his hold on me and says politely, "Sorry, dear, but the chicken dancers are moving this way. You looked so preoccupied that I was afraid you might get run over."

I give him a questioning look, to which he points behind him with his thumb. Then I see it. A long line of people were doing the chicken dance with a big, muscular guy in the lead.

They laugh, flail about and pull faces at each other, and I find myself smiling and clapping at the funny dancing people along with the rest of the spectators.

When the line starts to pass by me, the big guy holds up his hand, making everyone stop. "Whoa! We have a gorgeous lady here, guys," he calls out to his troop. "What's a chicken dance without a chick, right?" He holds a hand out to me and asks, "How about it, girl?"

Despite my horrible mood, I find myself smiling back as I look at his dimpled-smile. He loops an arm around my waist and tugs me into the line with him.

Together, we dance, and in the end, everyone forms a hoop around me as he whirls me in the middle. And amidst that, I find myself laughing again … laughing so hard that a small teardrop comes out of the corner of my eye.

He leans down and wipes away the tear. Gently, he says to me, "I don't know why you're crying, but you're too beautiful to be crying."

Yes, what he says is beyond cheesy, but it's also the sweetest thing I remember hearing in a long time. So instead of calling him corny, I smile at him. Smiling feels good.

**~*~*~*End of Flashback*~*~*~**

I'm brought out of my reverie by Stanley knocking on my door. "Ms. Cullen, the team is ready for you."

Giving her a nod, I tell her that I'm on my way and start gathering up my notes for the meeting.

Just as I'm standing up, I remember his text message.

Although he was in a gay bar that night, the way he held me to his chest made me feel like he was anything but. We haven't talked about anything major except the occasional good mornings or have a great day, but I feel thankful to know that he's out there.

I decide to respond to his message in kind before heading off.

**_Good morning to you too, Mr. McCarty. As for chicken, I prefer the dancing kind._**

**A/N: This chapter is for two very special ladies who have become invaluable friends to me. Taylor9901, here's the chicken-dancing I promised, girl! ;)**

**And ****s****avannavansmutsmut, since you like goofy Emmett, this is for you too. Love you, sweets. :***

**So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	12. Chapter-12: Handle, Sandal, Candle

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-12: Handle, Sandal, Candle**

**Word Prompts: **Handle, sandal, candle

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The rest of the day, I alternate between repeating what happened in the café and wishing I could borrow one of Rose's high-heeled sandals to kick my own ass. That shit would be painful enough to make up for my foot-in-mouth moment back there.

And in between, I remember how she winked at me before leaving. She fucking winked at me. That's flirting, right?

After being with a woman like Tanya who thinks her fake boobs can fix anything, Mystery Girl's innocent flirting feels refreshing to me.

Honestly, Tanya doesn't hold a candle to her.

It's true that I could have handled the situation a bit better, but at least she gave me her name.

_Bella._

_Beautiful._

My Mystery Girl is beautiful.

"Knock, knock."

I look up from the paper I've been trying to read for the last half hour and see my sister standing at the door.

"Rose? What's wrong?" Immediately, I'm on high alert.

_If she's seeking me out at office then something must be wrong. _

"Did the bastard do anything?"

She shakes her head and walks inside, a smile lighting up her face. "Can't I just want to hang out with my brother once in a while?"

Her smile stays on her face as she takes a seat across from me, and after a long time, I see my sister look like her older self.

"Of course you can, Rose," I reply. "I didn't mean it that way ..."

She holds up a hand to silence me. "I know, Ed. I wanted to thank you for taking me out Friday night. I had fun."

I think of my night and it feels anything _but_ fun. Instead of sharing the sordid tale of my sexuality with my sister, I shrug. "That was Ben's idea."

"Then I should probably thank him too."

I wave her away and say, "Don't thank that jerk. He just wanted to go and ogle one of the bartenders."

Her eyes widen. "Oh? I didn't know he plays for the other team."

It dawns on me what that sounded like, and I snort. "She's a female bartender, Rose," I say with a smirk.

"Good for him then," she says with a smile. "Do you have anything more for the Volturi Project? We meet with them in three weeks."

"Yeah. Let me show you. I need a second opinion."

Pulling up a chair next to her, I go about describing what I have for now.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Rose rolls up the blueprint and hands it to me. "It's good, little brother. I think you'll handle the project better than me."

Hearing praise in her voice makes me smile. "Thanks, sis."

She stands up to leave but stops after taking two steps. "Hey, Edward?"

"Yeah?"

She looks down at her feet before looking up at me, her eyes glowing with determination. "Can you hook me up with a lawyer? I need to get a restraining order."

I'm momentarily shocked at what she says. "What?"

She nods. "I've figured it out. I deserve to be happy and for that to happen, I need to be able to live without the shadow that Royce King left in my life. I want to get a restraining order against him."

"I'm on it, Rose. That asshole won't get to you, I promise," I tell her before reaching for my phonebook.

_It's time my sister lived for herself._

**A/N: He's a good brother, isn't he?**

**Does that clear up the reason behind the gay bar idea?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	13. Chapter-13: Scribble

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-13: Scribble**

**Word Prompt: **Scribble

**Audio-Visual Challenge—Musical Mastery: **"Wichita Lineman" by Glen Campbell

Listen to the sample, then write whatever comes to you first.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Your cousin is a class one asshole."

I glance up from the paperwork I'm trying to focus on at Alice's announcement. Grinning at her, I say, "That is an universal truth, Al. You should've known that by now."

Her nose flares in anger as she huffs at my ribbing.

When she doesn't add anything to that and keeps on giving me glares from time to time, I decide to bite the bullet. "What has he done now?"

Finally getting the opening she's been looking for, she answers with a pout evident in her voice. "You remember the bet we had on Friday?"

Instantly, I'm reminded of the bet that led to the gay bar fiasco and the subsequent "Pussy-Lover Pretty Boy Saga." Raising my eyebrow at her, I ask, "You mean the bet you guys had on about the number of gay men hitting on Em?"

"Yes, that's the one," she replies.

"What about it?"

She gives me a real pout this time as she explains. "Well, I bet that he wouldn't get hit on by more than five guys while he bet that it will at least be ten."

"And?" I ask, suddenly guessing what this must be about.

"Well, he got hit on by nine guys. How do we settle that?"

I suppress a laugh at the outcome and ask back, "What was the bet?"

She frowns and mutters under her breath before replying. "The winner gets to pick the loser's cloths for a week."

I cannot hold back this time and let out a very unladylike snort. "That is gonna be priceless!" I say in between guffaws.

"Hey! You're my best friend. You're supposed to help me out!" Alice protests. "Find me a way out of this. I can_no_t be a loser!"

Smirking at her, I say, "You should've thought about that before entering that stupid bet with Emmett."

Her pout becomes more prominent, and I let out an over-exaggerated sigh. "Fine. I might have a solution."

Her face lights up at that. "Oh, Bella! You are a life saver."

Keeping a straight face, I drop the bomb on her. "Since neither of you actually won, and I was the one who was dragged to that bar without full-discloser of our destination, I think I'm the one who should get to decide what you get to wear for the next week."

A booming laugh from the doorway tells me about my cousin's presence there, and I repeat myself. "I get to decide what you _both_ will wear for the next week."

That leads to numerous cursing, threatening, crying and begging on both their parts, but I'm a rock in such cases.

They both leave me, looking like I've told them to eat sour grapes for the rest of their lives.

_What a couple of drama queens!_

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

When left alone with my thoughts, I think of Pretty Boy, or rather Pretty Boy Edward as I've started to call him in my head.

I remember how adorable he looked when he asked me to sit with him at lunch, and that's when I realize that I'm looking forward to meeting him for lunch tomorrow. His presence seems to fill up a loneliness I never realized I felt during my solitary lunch breaks ... until now.

I'm brought out of my reverie when I hear my cell phone ring. "Swan," I answer.

There's silence in the other side before a voice says quietly, "Code 404 has been invoked. Note down."

I reach for a pen and paper and scribble down the instructions fired off from the other end.

Once I'm done, the line goes dead.

Taking a deep breath, I stand up from my desk. It's time to get down to business.

**A/N: Intrigued? I sure hope so! ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	14. Chapter-14: Porter

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-14: Porter**

**Word Prompt: **Porter

**Dialogue Flex: **"I can't believe she got away with it."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

When I get to the location given to me, all I can see it darkness.

_Someone must have taken the lights out,_ I think to myself as I assess the area.

I take a deep breath, and a whiff of smoke assaults my senses immediately. I pull the mask over my face, and then keeping my hand hovering over the gun strapped to my thigh, I walk in.

Once inside, my eyes slowly get accustomed to the darkness, and I can make out outlines of people lying on the ground around me—some groaning and some not moving at all.

I stand with my back pressed against a pillar, praying like hell that I can manage to keep my hands steady when I need to.

A small peek to the left side tells me that there are two armed men approaching the pillar I'm hiding behind.

_Fuck! They know I'm here._

I quickly think of my options on how I can get myself out of this situation, and when I hear footsteps approaching me, I make up my mind.

_It's go big or go home now._

There's not even a moment's hesitation as I pull out the two guns I have strapped on either side of my thighs and hold them up with both hands.

I count to five before quickly moving my hands. I point to the coming figures and squeeze both triggers at the same time.

Two soft sounds I hear are the only indication that I've found my mark. I wait for a heartbeat, straining my ears and finally, I hear it. Two dull thuds.

_Two suckers down._

I wait for a few moments, counting down the seconds in my head. When after one minute and forty seconds, I don't hear another sound, I assume that there's no one else left. So I leave my hiding place behind the pillar and come out into the open.

That's when I see it. A red dot of a laser pointed right at my heart.

_Crap!_

I don't hear the gunshot, but I do feel the bullet as it hits me squarely on the chest. "_Fuck!_" I curse out loud, making my assailant laugh.

"Gotcha!"

The lights come on as we both pull off our masks, and I see my best friend standing before me with a wide grin plastered on her face. "I win!"

"Ridiculous!" Emmett exclaims loudly as he comes to stand between the two of us, looking bewildered. "She said she wasn't coming all the while planning this sneak attack!" he says, pointing at Alice. "I can't believe she got away with it."

Alice giggles before reaching up to pinch his cheeks. "Emmett, I'm Alice Brandon. I get away with _everything_."

He scowls at her and then returns her smile. "Except for when you bet against me."

Immediately, her face darkens as she glowers at him. "I will have my revenge, McCarty!"

"Do I even want to know what this is about?" Eleazar, the gatekeeper for this unit—who's more commonly called the Porter—asks as he picks up a rubber bullet from the ground and then approaches the three of us.

I shake his hand and shake my head. "Probably not."

He gives us all pats on the back which tells us that we passed the test as he looks around the room. "Good one, guys. Kora, you need to work on your footwork a little more, but other than that, I'm happy with how you tackled this."

All my teammates nod and let out a collective hoot at his appreciative tone.

Kora, the emo-chick of our team pulls a face at Eleazar and says, "You could always schedule a drill sometime other than in the middle of the fucking night."

We all laugh at her petulance and Eleazar shakes his head at her. "Then it wouldn't be stress testing. Now get going. We got work to do in the morning."

I walk out of the training base with Emmett and Alice, feeling the adrenaline flow through me.

_This is what I am ... this is what I love._

**A/N: To answer your questions in the reviews, Code 404 refers to Riots or chaotic situations. :P**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review, please?**

**Since it's no-prompt Sunday today, so you get a day off tomorrow.**

**See you on Tuesday. :)**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	15. Chapter-15: Lapse

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-15: Lapse**

**Word Prompt: **Lapse

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I cross the street, cursing Ben to the deepest pits of hell. No, I don't curse him for yelling my sexual preferences off in front of the girl I'm crushing on, and no, I don't curse him for laughing at me when I told him the outcome of his monumental lapse in judgment.

I curse him for a far more fundamental reason.

He scheduled my meeting at a time which made me late for lunch ... and for Bella.

Just thinking her name brings a smile on my lips.

_Yeah, Cullen, you're a goner._

When I reach the café, I rush inside, praying like hell that she's still here waiting for me.

But the café looks deserted except for the lady behind the counter and an elderly couple sitting by one of the windows.

_Shit! I missed her, _I think as I rub a hand over my face, cursing Ben once again.

The counter-lady takes a look at me, and I see a mischievous smile on her face as she beckons me to go to her.

"Yeah?" I ask her, feeling more than a little dejected at Bella's absence.

Counter-lady, whose name-tag reads Katarina, raises an eyebrow at me and asks back, "Looking for someone, boy?"

I think about denying it for a moment before thinking better of it. After all she knows who I'm looking for.

With a sigh, I nod, not feeling up to chatting with her.

She chuckles and says, "Your girl is pretty determined. She wouldn't leave without meeting you." She points toward one of the windows, and I see that Bella is indeed here ... waiting for me.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I walk out of the café and slowly approach the spot where Bella stands. When I'm close enough to touch her, I take a moment to admire her beauty.

She stands facing the park adjacent to the café, her arms relaxed by her sides. With her eyes closed, and the wind fanning her hair around her face, she looks like an angel.

I move closer to her and whisper in her ear, "Enjoying the sun again, Bella?"

A slow smile lights up her face as she opens her eyes and looks at me. "No," she says, shaking her head. "I'm enjoying the wind today."

A chuckle escapes me at her words, and I see a blush spread on her cheeks.

She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear and bites her lip, avoiding looking at me. "You must think I'm crazy, huh? Watching the sun and feeling the wind?"

Raising an eyebrow at her, I point to myself. "_You're_ crazy? Then what am I? Mr. Verbal Diarrhea?"

She scrunches up her nose and looks at me thoughtfully. "No, I like Pretty Boy better."

"_Just_ Pretty Boy?" I ask, needing clarification.

She laughs and nods. "As long as the first bit still applies, we don't need to add that in civilized conversations."

I let out a sigh of relief and ask her, "So there will be more conversations in our future?"

A teasing smile takes over her beautiful face as she says, "Oh, Pretty Boy Edward, you can count on it. Now are you hungry?"

"For food?" The question is out of my mouth before I can stop myself.

_Fucking hell, Cullen! Talk about verbal diarrhea,_ I mentally kick myself as soon as the words are out of my mouth.

Bella blinks at me before a letting out a small giggle. The next thing I know we're both laughing, and for once I don't mind that it's at my expense.

When she can finally control her giggles, she entwines her arm with mine like it's the most natural thing in the world and says, "For now, yeah, food is what I'm talking about. Let's go get lunch."

As I walk back inside the café with Bella leading the way, I realize that this indeed feels natural.

**A/N: *Giggles* PLPB is back! Who missed him? *Raises hand up high***

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review, please?**

**Hope you're having fun with these crazy kids.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	16. Chapter-16: Remedy

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-16: Remedy**

**Word Prompt: **Remedy

**Plot Generator—Binding Blurb:** In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about **being torn in two directions.**

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Just as I'm about to take my first bite of lunch, Edward clears his throat and looks at me with a shy smile on his face.

I tilt my head to the side and wait for him to speak.

"You know, you never gave me a last name," he starts. "All I have is Mysterious and Beautiful Bella."

I feel my cheeks heat up when he calls me beautiful and I lower my gaze, trying to hide the smile threatening to split my face into two as I counter him, "You never gave me yours either."

"It's Cullen. Edward Cullen."

His answer makes me itch to tease him, so I do. "Then I'm Bond, James Bond."

"What?"

His confused expression makes me giggle. "Sorry. I couldn't resist. I'm Bella Swan."

A soft smile plays on his lips as he repeats my name before saying, "Beautiful Swan, indeed."

His words make me realize that we don't really know much about each other, except for our sexual preferences of course.

_Well, I'll have to remedy that._

In between bites, I ask him questions about himself and what he does.

It turns out that he's an architect who joined his parents' architectural firm after graduating and now, he runs a successful company with the help of his older sister.

The way he speaks about his work tells me that he's very passionate about what he does.

And then, he poses the million dollar question. "What do you do, Bella?"

Just like that, I feel like I'm being torn in two directions.

A part of me wants to share my work with him because I love what I do; it's my passion. However, another part, a bigger one, refuses to let go of years of training and share information with a still-somewhat stranger.

_Also, there's a good chance that he'll make a run for the hills if he knows what I do._

So, I offer him a smile and say, "Well, Mr. Cullen, that is something you need to find out."

My attempt works, and I see him return my smile. "Oh Ms. Swan, trust me, I will find out."

"Good luck with that," I respond with a wink.

Inside, I'm praying that he doesn't find out any time soon.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

At the end of our meal, he hesitates for a moment before taking a deep breath and asking me, "Do you think I can call you?"

I open my mouth, but he continues, shutting me up. "I mean, I like the mystery of sudden meetings here. But maybe we could schedule a time that way?" He stumbles over his words, looking adorable as fuck. "Fuck! I'm so bad at this, aren't I?" he asks.

Smiling, I pick up a tissue and jot down my number before handing it over to him. "I think you're better than you give yourself credit for."

With a swift wink at him, I leave, my heart beating faster in hopes of hearing from Pretty Boy soon.

**A/N: So … thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	17. Chapter-17: Fabric

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-17: Fabric**

**Word Prompt: **Fabric

**Dialogue Flex: **"The more, the merrier."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Going back to office from lunch, I feel a lightness in my heart. Why? Because Bella likes my flirting expertise. _Ok, so she didn't necessarily say that she liked it, but it was implied_, I reason with myself as I flash a grin at Ben when I run into him in the elevator.

"Someone seems to be in a good mood," he says with a waggle of his eyebrows. "Did you get some, boss man?"

I roll my eyes at him. "Dude, your mind always runs for the gutter, doesn't it?"

He lets out a heavy sigh before saying with a straight face, "Sadly, no. My mind practically _lives_ there."

I attempt to give him an exasperated look which quickly morphs into a smile as he keeps shaking his head at his own mind's sad fate.

_Smartass._

Catching my smile, he remarks, "Seriously though, you seem happier today."

"I _am _happier," I reply. "I got my Mystery Girl's number today."

_And she also kind of said that she might get hungry for more than food someday soon,_ I add in my head, remembering that little suggestive note in her voice.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

In the board meeting Rose was supposed to conduct in the afternoon, she's a no-show. So, I have to take over for her which manages to make me focus on something other than a very different kind of hunger I'm feeling for Bella.

We touch bases on how the Volturi Empires want their new project to be designed, and I make a few mental notes on which architects to be assigned on this project. It's going to be one of the biggest projects I've had to lead in after becoming the CEO of Cullen Dreams Ltd.

Once the meeting is over, I sit in my office, jotting down points on how to tackle this monumental step for us when there's a knock on my door.

"Come in," I call.

The door opens just a crack, and Rose peeks through it. "Got a minute, Edward?"

"Of course, Rose. Come on in."

She enters the room and takes a seat across from me.

I look at her for a moment and then state in a conversational tone, "Missed you at the meeting today."

"Meeting?" She looks baffled at my remark before her eyes go wide. "Oh shit! The meeting about the VE Project. I can't believe I missed it."

The flicker of remorse in her eyes makes me interrupt her before she could work herself up into a frenzy. "Rose, it's ok. I took care of it."

"I'm so sorry, Ed. I completely forgot about it."

"Hey, I told you, it's ok," I say reassuringly. "Where did you go anyway?"

She looks down at her hand before answering me. "I was having a late lunch with a friend."

_Good. She needs to be around her friends more_.

Smiling at her, I say, "That's great, Rose. I'm happy to see you stepping out of the office for a change."

She smiles back. "Thanks. It feels good to be out once in a while. Thank you for taking care of the meeting."

I wave her away. "I'm always here for you, Rose. Although I must tell you, I was thinking we need to put more people on the project."

"The more, the merrier," she responds with a smile. "It's a big project anyway. We'll see whom to assign which task."

"Yeah, that will be a good idea," I say.

She stands up to leave, stops at the doorway before turning her gaze back on me. "Hey, Edward? Can I ask you something?" she asks hesitantly.

"Sure."

"Does pink fabric on guys seem a little weird to you?"

_What? Where did that come from?_

Feeling confused, I ask back, "What?"

She looks like she's regretting the question as she repeats herself.

I narrow my eyes. "Define fabric. What kind are we talking about?"

I expect her to answer with shirt, trousers, or hell, fucking boxers, what I don't anticipate is her real answer. "A feather boa."

_What the fuck? A guy in pink feather boa? She's not into drags, is she?_

Rose makes a hasty exit after that, leaving me wondering how to respond if she does like some drag queen.

Well, I'm nothing if not a supportive brother.

**A/N: Any guesses on who the guy in pink feather boa might be? *Giggles***

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Keep your eyes on FB and Twitter ( TwiAddictAnne) for teasers for tomorrow's Redemption of A Lost Soul update.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	18. Chapter-18: Hallucinate, Mediate, Libera

**A/N: Hi, my amazing readers! I was blown away by the love you've shown me in this little dream I've planned for you. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Let's see what Mystery Girl's been cooking up now, shall we?**

**Chapter-18: Hallucinate, Mediate, Liberate**

**Word Prompts: ** Hallucinate, mediate, liberate

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

I couldn't help but laugh as I saw my big bad cousin strut through the office wearing his favorite leather jacket with a very pink and very fluffy feather boa draped across his shoulders.

People start to drop what they're doing and stare at Emmett, probably wondering if they're hallucinating.

When he comes to a stop in front of me, I let out a low whistle. "Wow, Em! You can definitely work a feather boa. You sure you wanna work _here_? You'll be a millionaire if you worked in a drag club, you know?"

"I think he needs to put a little more twerk in his swagger, don't you, Bella?" Alice pipes up from beside me.

Emmett glares at us and points to me. "You are a pig for making me wear this today of all days." Then turning to look at Alice, he adds, "And for your information, I rock this feather boa. I'm sure if I walked into a gay bar wearing this, I'll be hit on by at least twenty guys."

Alice narrows her eyes at him, and asks in a threateningly sweet tone, "Want a rematch, big guy?"

I quickly step in between them, not wanting to be dragged to another gay bar or worse—a drag club—over this. Trying to mediate the situation, I say, "Alright you two. Break it off. Alice, remember what happened when you entered a bet in the first place. You sure you want a rematch of _that_?"

I wait till she shakes her head before looking at Emmett. "Em, what's wrong with today?"

For the first time since we'd all caught him masturbating using our grandma's lotion when he was fifteen, I see my cousin blush. He clears his throat and says quietly, "I had lunch with a friend … a friend who happens to be a girl."

My eyes widen as soon as it hits me. "Shit! You had a lunch date and went there wearing _that_?"

He gives me a hopeless nod, making Alice giggle at the look on his face. "I bet you scared the ever loving shit out of her, Em!" she says with a grin.

Emmett shoots another glare at her and then grins maliciously. "Why don't you take off that ridiculously long trench coat you have on, Al? It'll feel more liberating, I think."

"No! No, no, no! Em, I'm sorry," she starts in a pleading tone.

"Off. Now."

I shrug at Alice, silently telling her that it's her turn to keep her end of the bargain.

She cusses us both as she finally takes off her coat, letting everyone what she has on underneath.

There's a collective gasp from all around us as people see Alice Brandon, the style diva of our team, stand there wearing a Spongebob Squarepants T-shirt and baggy sweatpants.

There is pin-drop silence in the office which makes Alice let out a huff. "C'mon people, haven't you seen a hobo-wannabe before?"

A snort escapes me at the sight of her which makes Em let out a hearty laughter.

She looks at me and repeats Emmett's sentiment from moments ago. "You're really are a pig, Swan. I miss my dresses!"

Then, in true Alice Brandon fashion, she walks off with her head held high.

_Poor Alice,_ I think gleefully._ Payback can be a real bitch._

**A/N: That was payback for every time Alice played Bella Barbie in the books … at least in my head. ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Redemption of A Lost Soul update is now live. So come over and say hello?**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	19. Chapter-19: Stale

**A/N: Hi, guys! I have the best readers. You guys make my day with your love for my craziness. I hope you're having just as much fun as I am with these crazy kids. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-19: Stale**

**Word Prompt**: Stale

**Audio-Visual Challenge—Imagined Image**: An empty plate.

View the image and write whatever comes to you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I pop the last piece of meatball in my mouth and push my empty plate away, letting out a sigh of utter contentment.

_No one cooks spaghetti and meatballs like my mom!_

My mother, Esme, gives me a very satisfied smile and pats my back. "You want me to pack the leftovers for you? You can have them for lunch tomorrow."

For a moment, just one tiny little moment, I consider taking her up on her offer and maybe sharing the awesomeness that's my mom's spaghetti and meatballs with Bella.

However, that little voice in my head tells me that by doing so, I'll show her that I'm a Mama's Boy, and I really didn't want her to know that about me ... at least not yet.

You see, I have this brilliant plan to make her fall madly in love with me. _But these things take time; or so I've heard._

So I smile at my mother and say, "Sure, Mom. That would be great."

_Yeah, I'm not gonna take those for lunch, but that doesn't mean I can't have a late night snack._

She happily packs them up for me and sets it in front of me.

My dad, who had been thankfully silent up until now, turns his gaze on me and asks sternly, "Are you eating healthy, son?"

I nod at him, mentally reasoning with myself that since cows eat grass, so technically, I'm getting the same energy from beef._ That's the definition of eating my greens._

However, the health enthusiast in him makes him tilt his head to the side and ask again, "Any expired products in your refrigerator?"

"No, sir," I reply, making a mental note about throwing away the stale bread from last week when I get home.

Hey, don't judge me. I'm a bachelor. I'm supposed to scratch my balls when I'm alone and wear my underwear inside out till I can't find a clean surface on the thing. But, I'm not like that. What I struggle with is restocking my refrigerator every once in a while.

_And that's why I need a woman in my life—to keep me in check ... a woman like Bella,_ I think to myself.

Of course, my daydreams about having Bella in my life must have been plainly apparent on my face because dad quirks an eyebrow at me. "You okay there, son? You seem a little bit preoccupied."

"Preoccupied? Who? Me?" I shoot the questions at him in quick succession while widening my eyes as if wide eyes will tell him that I was awake during his rant.

_Stupid, Edward!_

That, of course, gives mom the cue to start her own rant about how I'm working too much and taking too much stress upon myself.

_Parents! Worrying comes with the territory I guess._

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

After ensuring my mom for the umpteenth time that I'm not under constant pressure and promising my dad that I'll try to eat at home every once in a while, I make an exit from their home.

Once I'm home, I dispose of the stale loaf of bread that would've given my poor dad a heart attack and settle down on my bed for the night.

On an impulse, I pull out my phone and shoot off a text to the number Bella gave me.

**How was your day, beautiful Bella? ~Edward**

Simple and slightly cheesy, just the way girls like it.

Her response comes after one whole minute.

**Edward? I thought you'd sign your name as Pretty Boy! ;)**

**My day was good. How was yours? ~Not-so-beautiful Bella**

I frown at her response. How can she call herself "Not so beautiful?"

**Are you sure your eyesight is in perfect working condition? How can you call yourself Not-so-beautiful? ~Edward**

This time, she answers immediately.

**Oh Edward! Flattery might get you on a wild ride. ~Bella.**

I note with satisfaction that she has signed her name as just Bella.

**Will you be on that ride with me? In that case, I'm in. ~Edward.**

When her reply comes, I find myself grinning so widely that my cheeks hurt a little.

**Count on it, Pretty Boy. ~Bella.**

_Does this count as flirting? God! I hope so._

**A/N: See? PLPB has a PLAN! ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	20. Chapter-20: Flaw

**A/N: Hi, guys! I have the best readers. You guys make my day with your love for my craziness. I hope you're having just as much fun as I am with these crazy kids. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**I don't own Twilight, but I do own all the seasons of Friends. :D**

**Chapter-20: Flaw**

**Word Prompt: **Flaw

**Plot Generator—Phrase Catch: **Dance the night away.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I watch him make his way to me.

The struggle to put one foot ahead after the other is apparent on his face. He takes three more steps before bowing his head in a sign of resignation.

Then, in the view of everyone present, he reaches behind himself, grabs a handful of his leather pants and pulls.

And that, right there, makes my control snap. I start laughing hysterically as he shoots me a death glare and continues to walk forward.

When he reaches us, Alice can't keep the glee off of her voice as she asks, "Something got stuck in your buttcrack, Em?"

Emmett pulls a face at her before turning to me. "Your punishment choice or choice of punishment … whatever … it has a major flaw, Bells. You do see the unfairness of this don't you?"

I pretend to get offended and hold a hand to my chest. "Did you just call _me_ unfair, Em? How could you? I'm hurt!"

"Shut it," he almost growls at me. "You're making me wear these fucked up leather pants while squirt here gets off with just wearing a hoodie and baggy jeans? How the fuck is that fair?"

Immediately, Alice's smile vanishes and she tugs at the gray hoodie and yellow baggy jeans in question before snarling at Em. "_Just_ a hoodie? JUST a hoodie? Let me tell you, Emmett McCarty, this shit is super scratchy. And have you even looked at these ridiculous jeans? They're yellow for fuck's sake! It's like I've got poop painted on my ass!"

Of course her outburst sets me off yet again, and I'm a few moments away from falling down to the floor with the force of my laughter.

"Boo-fucking-hoo, Alice. Have you even thought of the ramifications of my wearing these pants?"

I school my expression to make it look innocent and ask, "What kind of ramifications?"

Emmett looks at me closely—probably to check whether I'm gonna laugh again or not—and then continues, "I'm not even gonna say anything about how sweaty my balls are in here, but dude! You could've at least thought about the heat expansion."

"The what?" Alice and I ask together.

Rolling his eyes at our lack of knowledge, he explains. "Heat expansion. You know like in the Friends TV series when Ross's legs expanded from the heat of wearing leather pants?"

One sentence. That's all it takes to make us both howl with laughter as Emmett continues to scowl at us.

"I'm kind of missing the damn boa right now," he says with a deep sigh. "The pink feathery shit you made me keep draped around me the whole day."

"You're kidding, right?" Alice abruptly stops laughing and asks.

He shakes his head. "Nope, dead serious. I'd have gladly draped that shit on me and danced the night away in a gay bar for a week if I had to choose between that and these volcano pants."

I raise my eyebrows at his remarks and start to open my mouth to pull his leg some more when I hear my phone chirp with an incoming text message.

Wordlessly, I pull it out and see that it's indeed from Pretty Boy. A wide smile stretches on my face as I read his words.

**Good morning, beautiful girl. I hope I get to join you in sun-watching today. ~Pretty Boy.**

That makes me look down at my watch and wonder just how long the next two hours are gonna be. _If guys are called pussy-whipped, what would that make me? Dick-whipped or Pussy-lover-boy-whipped?_

**A/N: What do you think she is? ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you on Tuesday.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	21. Chapter-21: Trinket

**A/N: Hi, guys! I have the best readers. You guys make my day with your love for my craziness. I hope you're having just as much fun as I am with these crazy kids. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-21: Trinket**

**Word Prompt:**Trinket

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Are you sure she's into _drags_ now?" Ben asks me again.

I give him an exasperated look. "Dude! Why would any guy wear a feather boa if he _isn't_ a drag?"

He opens his mouth to offer some explanation when I add, "And it was fucking pink, man! What else can that mean?"

Ben blinks and then agrees with a shrug. "Well, whatever floats her boat, I guess? If a pink feather boa wearing drag makes her happy then so be it, you know?"

I nod. "Yeah, I guess that fucktard put her off men … sort of," I say, once again condemning Royce Asshole King to the deepest pits of hell for hurting my sister.

He stands up from his seat and starts gathering his papers before he stops. A grin stretches on his face as he says, "I completely forgot to tell you, Whit's coming."

"Whit? _Our_ Whit?" I ask, needing clarification.

"Yep. Jasper Whitlock—the one and only."

A ridiculous smile takes over my face at the thought of seeing my old college roommate and other best friend. "When?"

"Thursday. We've got to go out for drinks on Friday after work," Ben tells me.

Nodding, I reply, "As long as it's not a gay bar, I'm in."

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I'm halfway through the blueprints I need to go through today when there's a knock on my door.

"Come in."

It opens, and Rosalie walks in with a smile on her face. "How's your day going, little brother?"

Her greeting makes me narrow my eyes at her. "You seem to be in a better mood."

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am," she says, holding up a Tiffany's blue box. "I just found a trinket."

Offering her a confused nod, I say, "Good for you."

"Until I opened the card that came with it, I thought so too. As it turns out, I was wrong. This isn't for me. It's for you."

I watch in horror as she opens the box, and shows me a gold fucking bracelet with the words 'My Froggy' inscribed on them.

"What the fuck?"

With a smirk, she holds out a card for me to see, and what I read makes my blood boil in anger.

**My dearest Froggy Eddie,**

**This is a reminder that you'll be my prince one day.**

**Your Tanya.**

"Fucking delusional bitch!" I let out a groan. "Why can't she take a hint?"

Rose lays an understanding hand on my shoulder as she says something I never expected to hear from her, "I can take care of her for you, brother. If you want."

The twinkle of mischief in her eyes makes me smile. She's becoming her older self more and more with time. "Gladly," I respond.

_Maybe the Drag Queen is helping her._

Closing my files, I stand up. I need something to take the disgusting bracelet off my mind. I need something that makes me smile. _I need my Bella time._

**A/N: Does anyone else think the Drag Queen is helping Rose?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review. :)**

**We'll have our Bella Time tomorrow as well. So, see you tomorrow.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	22. Chapter-22: Key

**A/N: Hi, guys! I have the best readers. You guys make my day with your love for my craziness. I hope you're having just as much fun as I am with these crazy kids. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**I'm glad you guys are all with Drag Queen, aka Emmett. He appreciates your love. ;)**

**Chapter-22: Key**

**Word Prompt: **Key

**Dialogue Flex: **"I'm sorry, I didn't catch you name?"

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Walking inside the café, I take a deep breath. The smell of coffee makes me smile. I love this part of my day where I get to be just Bella and not care about the shitstorm waiting for me when I get back.

Because a shitstorm is always waiting to take over.

Katarina gives me a half wave from behind the counter, and I walk up to her. "Hey."

"Hey, girl," she greets me with a smile. "Your boy isn't here yet."

Her knowing smile makes me blush and I can't help but ask, "Have you told anyone about … him?"

Shaking her head, she replies, "Not my story to tell."

I give her a grateful smile. Over the last few months' worth of business, she has become more of a friend than an accomplice.

Just then the bell at the top of the door tinkles, and I turn around to see Edward enter the café.

His eyes immediately find mine, and I see a smile stretch over his face.

_God! He's so pretty!_

I glance at Katarina before making my way to him. When I'm close enough to look into his eyes, I detect a worry in his usually bright eyes. "Rough day?" I ask.

He reaches out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear and then shrugs. "It's better now."

And just like that, my heart melts a little.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

We settle down at our corner with our lunch, and after taking a few bites, he sighs. "Bella?" he calls my name tentatively.

"Yeah?"

"Can I … I mean, will you … would it be okay if …" he stops and runs his hand through his hair before trying again. "Let me take you out."

I feel my eyes widen. "Like on a date?" I ask just to be clear because in my world, 'taking someone out' means something far more deadly.

He looks shy and so fucking hopeful when he nods. "Yes. I want to do this properly."

"And you assumed that I wanted to date you?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

A crestfallen look comes to his face as he looks down at his plate of food.

_Shit! I've upset him._

"I just …" he starts, but I lean forward and put a hand on his knee to stop him.

"I'd love to."

His eyes search mine as soon as he hears my words. "What?"

I nod, offering him a timid smile. "I'm not used to guys like you, Edward. So for me, the key to get out of any sudden potentially-awkward situation is making weird attempts at joking. Sorry."

"What do you mean by 'guys like me'?" he asks with a frown.

Biting my lip, I answer, "I mean sweet, shy and so frigging pretty."

A sweet smile lights up his face as he takes my hand from his knee and pulls it to his lips.

_Damn! He's such a gentleman!_

"So are you free on …"

"Bells! There you are!" Edward's words are drowned by Emmett's loud voice. "Dude, I've been looking all over for you!"

Edward stands up from his seat and narrows his eyes at Emmett. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name …?" he says with an edge in his voice.

If I wasn't so shocked by my cousin's sudden appearance, I'd have been so turned on by the way Edward glares at him.

"McCarty," Em tells him with a nod before turning to me. "We gotta go. NOW! It's 187."

"Fuck!" I curse out loud and give him a sharp nod to say that I'll be right behind him.

When he's out of the door, I see an open-mouthed Edward looking at me and I feel a piece of my heart break as I see suspicion in his eyes for the first time. "Edward, I need to go. I'll call you, I promise."

I don't wait to hear his response before rushing out of the door.

**A/N: *Holds hands up in surrender* It's a zero-angst fic, guys, remember that. We're just getting started on the fun part.**

**So … thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	23. Chapter-23: Green

**A/N: *Peeks from behind a book* Hi, guys! I LOVE you all for giving this madness of mine a chance. Your lovely reviews leave me grinning wide. Thank you for joining me on this madness. Hope you're enjoying the ride. ;)**

**Chapter-23: Green**

**Word Prompt: **Green

**Plot Generator—Idea Completion: **Fact or fiction.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

_She left. She actually left._ The words keep being repeated in my head as I stand in the café ... alone.

As I try to wrap my mind around the fact that she left with another guy, the green monster of jealousy tries to rear its ugly head, but I squash it down. _After all she agreed to go on a date with me, didn't she?_

I move to walk out of the place, Katarina, the lady who mans the counter, offers me a sad smile. "She's just too busy at times, honey," she says soothingly.

Immediately, my eyebrows pull up in question. "How do you know that? Do you know her?"

She shakes her head quickly. "No, no. Why would I know her? She's one of my regulars and that's it."

"Then how do you know that she's too busy?"

She seems a little flustered when she answers me. "She just seems the type, you know?" Without allowing me to utter another word, she turns and heads toward the kitchen.

_What the fuck is going on? Does she know something about Bella that I don't?_

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The rest of my work day is full of hair-pulling and cursing out whomever I can put blame on for cutting my Bella Time short. But aside from all of it, the truth remains that I have no idea who Bella Swan is, and that frustrates the hell out of me.

At the end of the day, I stand in the elevator and watch the green number flash by as it descends. My mind continues to puzzle over the happenings of my day.

The sound of the soft ding as the door opens brings me out of my thoughts. As I'm walking toward my car in the parking lot, I see Rose smile at me. "Ed, I've thought of a few of the nastiest punishments for that bitch. You just have to take your pick, brother. Do you think a fake silicon cut up body part will be too much ...?" she trails off as she notices the frown on my face.

Grabbing my chin, she moves my head from side to side, like mom used to do when we were kids. "Nah, there are no bruises," she remarks with a clucking noise. "You don't look like you got into a fist fight with Ben."

I let out a sigh and say patiently, "Rose, no matter how often he still continues to piss me off, we're not teenagers anymore. We know how to respect the professional environment here."

She rolls her eyes and mutters, "Clearly." She asks me again, "Why the long face then, little brother?"

For a second, I debate about telling her all about the mystery that was Bella Swan, but then decide to keep quiet.

_She hasn't called me yet when she promised that she would,_ I think to myself. _I shouldn't tell anyone about her until I knew where I stand ... where _we_ stand._

"Just a long day at the office, sis," I reply.

She pats my cheek and gives me an understanding smile. "Alrighty then. Off you go. We'll discuss _Operation: Cut the Bitch_ tomorrow."

I laugh when I hear the name of her latest project, but even to my ears, the sound seems pretty hollow.

_How can someone who's still almost a complete stranger to me affect me this way?_

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The whole evening, I obsess over the fact that I haven't heard from Bella at all.

_She said she'd call._

_I hope she's ok._

_God! Please let her be ok._

_Maybe she doesn't care enough about me to call._

So many thoughts keep running through my head, alternating from hope to worry to frustration.

When I climb into bed to try to fall asleep, I still keep my phone with me.

I stare at it for a few moments, willing it to ring.

A small voice in my head wonders if Bella Swan is indeed a real person, or just a figment of my imagination. But then again, I know that my imagination isn't strong enough to picture the beauty that was Bella Swan.

While I'm caught in my inner battle over whether she's a fact in my life or just a part of a fiction I'm dreaming up, my phone starts ringing.

Looking at the caller ID, I feel my back stiffen. I take the call and ask in a low whisper, "Bella? Are you real?"

There's a deafening silence in the other end before I hear her sweet voice answer just as softly, "Edward, believe me, I want to be real ... for you."

Immediate relief washes over me because at least she called. At least she wants to work it out. However, her next words leave me mystified.

"For that, you need to know who I am ... in real life."

**A/N: We're almost at the big reveal. Hang on tight, everyone. ;)**

**So … thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Keep an eye out on Twitter ( TwiAddictAnne) for teasers for Redemption of A Lost Soul. ;)**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	24. Chapter-24: Fiddle, Riddle, Middle

**A/N: Hi, guys! I LOVE you all for giving this madness of mine a chance. Your lovely reviews leave me grinning wide. Thank you for joining me on this insane adventure. Hope you're enjoying the ride. ;)**

**Chapter-24: Fiddle, Riddle, Middle**

**Word Prompts: ** Fiddle, riddle, middle

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I sit in the car, fiddling with the stereo for a minute before giving up. I look up for the eighth time out of the window and feel my heart hurt a little bit more at the emptiness that greets me.

_Fuck! He's not coming._

_He's thought it over during the night and has decided that I'm not worth it._

_Maybe he's stuck in traffic._

_Shit! I've scared him off, and he hasn't even seen anything._

My mind is riddled with so many contradictory thoughts that I wish I could get a latté right now. I wonder if this would've been easier in our usual spot at the café, but then shake the thought off. This had to be between just us … away from prying eyes and eavesdropping nosy assholes.

I'm in the middle of my third time flipping open my phone and scrolling down to his name when there's a knock on my window.

Glancing up from my hands, I see him standing there, looking unsure as hell.

I lean over and open the passenger side door for him. "Get in," I say, and he does before turning those expressive green eyes on me.

"We're parked half a block away from the café," he says.

"Uh-huh."

The confusion is evident in his voice as he asks, "Why couldn't we meet in there like always?"

Biting my lip, I fidget with my watch and reply, "Because Katarina can be a nosy bitch at times."

"So you do know her?" he asks sharply. "She denied all about it yesterday."

I nod. "Yep, denial is a part of her job; as is being nosy."

He lets out a dry chuckle and says, "I don't think I can take anymore of the suspense, Bella."

Immediately, I feel horrible for leaving him hanging last night, but I needed to see his face when I told him the truth. "She's an informant," I say quickly. "Katarina, I mean."

"Informant?" his eyebrow arches in that super sexy way as he asks.

"Yeah, _my_ informant to be precise," I tell him.

He swallows at that, and I can't help but notice how his Adam's apple bobs up and down with the action.

_Fuck! I'd love to kiss him there._

I'm brought out of my lustful and very inappropriate thoughts by his next question. "Bella, you aren't part of the mob, are you?"

"What?"

He clears his throat before trying to explain himself. "You know, like in the Godfather?"

An untimely giggle threatens to burst through my lips as I look at him, not being able to believe what I'm hearing. "You think I'm part of a mob?"

He shrugs, probably aiming to look all nonchalant as he answers me. "Well you're so mysterious and then yesterday that half-giant-sized guy came looking for you. So …"

This time, I cannot control myself, and the giggle bursts free.

"Oh great! Now you're laughing at me." I swear his lower lip juts out a little as he all but pouts at me.

Shaking my head at the impossible situation we have in our hands, I try to stifle my laughter and say, "I'm not laughing _at_ you, baby. I'm just laughing near you."

"Why?"

"Because I'm as far from a mobster as I can be." Taking a deep breath, I tell him the truth about myself. "Edward, I'm a federal agent."

He stares at me for a moment before his eyes widen in shock. "You're an FBI agent?"

"Yep," I say. "Organized crime division—exact opposite of the mob."

"But … but …" he stammers a little before sighing and opening his mouth again. "Really? You don't seem like the heartless FBI agents on TV."

I smile at his remark. "That's because I'm _not_ heartless," I tell him and pull out my badge to show him.

"Holy shit! You _are_ an FBI agent," he exclaims. "One with a heart."

"Of course I have a heart, Mr. Cullen," I say with a wink. "Otherwise where would you live?"

His smile falters for a moment before stretching wider, almost threatening to split his face in two. "Does that mean our date's still on?"

Leaning into his side, I brush my lips on his cheek. "Count on it, mister."

His answering grin is so bright that I decide then and there that I'll spend more time watching his smile from now on than the sun because his smile does seem to have the power to brighten up my day.

**A/N: *Grins cheekily* How's everyone doing? Good? Bad? Still a little confused?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**My other WIP, Redemption of A Lost Soul updated a few minutes ago. So, check that one out too if you want.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	25. Chapter-25: Behavior

**A/N: Hi, guys! I have the best readers. You guys make my day with your love for my craziness. I hope you're having just as much fun as I am with these crazy kids. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Since I've had people say that the POV switching is confusing to them, I think it's better to give you a heads up about it. ****This fic is going to have alternating POVs. They POVs will alternate with each chapter.**** I hope that's cleared it up. **

**Chapter-25: Behavior**

**Word Prompt: **Behavior

**Scenario: **The competition is just getting started.

Complete the scenario in any way, in any style, and for any word count. Open your mind and follow where it leads, writing as you go.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"So what's Code 187?" I ask her as we walk together to the café.

She stops in her tracks and looks at me with wide eyes. "What?"

I rub the back of my neck self-consciously as I say in response, "Yesterday, when the big guy came to look for you, he said something about a code 187 …" I give her a look of uncertainty when I add, "Hey, he's not ... someone you … uh … like, is he?"

_God! Cullen, could sound more awkward? _I cuss at myself, thinking that maybe I should just permanently change my name into Awkward Cullen instead.

She eyebrows rise in curiosity as she asks, "Why?"

"Just getting ideas, you know?" I ask back with a shrug.

"About what?"

"Competition. If he is interested in you, you need to tell him that I won't back down."

She scrunches up her nose a little bit and prompts me, "Anything else?"

"Yeah," I reply after thinking for a moment. "You can tell him that if he wants a competition, he'll get a competition. It's just getting started anyway."

I feel very manly with the way I've managed to articulate myself—until I see the way her cheeks flush with the effort to keep from laughing. "What?" I ask, cautiously.

She shakes her head and reaches down to take my hand in hers. "Edward, there's no competition. The guy you saw yesterday …?"

"McCarty," I supply the name helpfully, making her smile at me.

"Yes, Emmett McCarty. He's my cousin, and teammate," she explains rubbing my thumb with hers. "You have no competition to worry about."

_Fuck! I'm the lamest guy on the planet!_

"Shit! Sorry. I uh …" I trail off, not sure what I can say to minimize my embarrassment.

However, as it turns out, I have nothing to worry about because I have Bella with me. She doesn't laugh at me for my slightly (okay, a lot) caveman-like behavior. Instead, she stills me by tugging on my hand and presses a soft kiss to my cheek.

I feel the heat of her kiss radiate through me and warm her from inside.

_And that doesn't make you sound a little bit like a pussy, Cullen!_

"You don't need to apologize, Edward," she whispers in my ear. "It's actually quite endearing the way you want to fight for me."

I'm suddenly hyper-aware of the fact that we're standing in the middle of a sidewalk en route to the café. Why? Because I have a hunch that pouncing on her in public wouldn't probably seem quite so _endearing_ to Bella.

_But man! A guy can always fantasize, right?_

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Bella lets out a soft moan as she takes the first sip of her coffee, immediately sending the sound right to brain—which happened to be directly connected to my dick.

_Not a good time, Cullen,_ I mentally chastise myself and try to think of anything that might calm me down.

What I don't expect is her next words, which make me think of anything _but_ my dick—just like that.

"So code 187 refers to homicide," she tells me with a nod of her head.

"Hom-ee-siiide?" The word leaves a sour taste in my mouth as I repeat it.

"Uh-huh. The police thought it was a mob-hit at first and notified our unit, but when we got there, it seemed like a singular murder—not at all like typical mob-hits."

The realization that this amazingly beautiful woman sitting across from me knows what typical mob-hits look like, almost makes my heart stop.

Reaching across the table, I take her hand in mine, needing to feel her presence there with me. "Bella," I ask quietly. "You're not in any danger, are you?"

Her lips stop in mid-smile, and she frowns. "Danger? Why would I be in any danger?"

I can't find the words to express the worry that made my heart stutter when she told me about the murder. So, I just say with a half-shrug, "Mob means guns and shit, you know?"

A teasing glint comes to her eyes as she winks at me. "Who told you that _I_ don't like guns?"

And just like that, I'm hard again.

_Fuck! This situation unbelievably insane … and insanely hot. What are you doing to me, Bella Swan?_

**A/N: That's a good question, no?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	26. Chapter-26: Delay

**A/N: Hi, guys! I have the best readers. You guys make my day with your love for my craziness. I hope you're having just as much fun as I am with these crazy kids. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-26: Delay**

**Word Prompt: **Delay

**Dialogue Flex: **"Will we still be friends after all this is over?"

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"So how was the _Pretty_ Boy?" I'm startled out of my Edward-induced haze by the sound of Emmett's voice.

Knowing his obnoxious ways to scare my potential love interests away in the past, I feign innocence. "Pretty who?"

He rolls his eyes at my very flat attempt at acting and repeats his question. "How was the Pretty Boy?" When I keep quiet, he elaborates, "The one who was giving me death-glare yesterday, I mean."

His question reminds me how protective Edward got when he thought Emmett could be a competition to him, and a smile breaks out on my face.

"Aha! Having a light-bulb moment, are we?" he asks after noticing the telltale smile on my face.

I stay silent for a moment longer, trying to delay the inevitable.

The sound of clicking heels announces Alice's arrival before we can see her face. She comes to stand in between the two of us and gives me an encouraging nod. "Just tell him, Bella," she says to me. "You know he'll be like a dog with a bone until you give the secret up."

I pull a face, knowing that a persistent Emmett is one step away from over-protective big brother Emmett. "And when he finds out the secret, he's like a bear with a honey jar," I tell her.

Alice bursts out into a full belly-laughter, setting first me and then Emmett off as well.

When we've both calmed down, Emmett reaches over to ruffle my hair a little, and I dodge his paw-like hand expertly. He sounds genuinely mortified when he asks me, "Am I really that bad?"

"Yes," we both reply in unison.

He has the decency to act embarrassed as he gives me one of his dimpled-too-cute-to-not-forgive smiles. "What if I promise to not to take it too far this time?"

"Are you even capable of doing that?" I ask while looking at him through narrowed eyes.

He crosses his heart and says, "I can always try."

Figuring that it's a losing battle anyway, I tell him who Edward is, glossing over the "Pussy-lover" part and focusing on how adorable he is.

When I'm finished, he asks thoughtfully, "So when are you bringing this 'Pretty on the gritty' boy of yours to meet the family?"

I know that the logical thing would've been to tell him that it was just beginning and we weren't there yet, but of course, my mind zeros in on something else entirely.

"_Pretty on the gritty?_" I repeat. "What the fuck does that even mean?"

He shrugs. "You know how people say 'sex on a stick'?"

I nod with confusion, not liking where this seems to be headed.

"I can't call him _that_ now, can I?" he asks me as if I'm a toddler who has no clue that two and two make four. "So I designed my own version of it."

"But why gritty?" Alice asks the question that's been on the tip of my tongue.

He winks and explains as if he's Archi-fucking-Medes having his eureka-moment. "Girtty means rough. So 'Pretty on the gritty' means he's roughly pretty."

With that, he starts walking away from us before stopping in mid-stride and looking back at me. "Bells, I look forward to meeting your _gritty_ boy soon."

Alice and I watch him walk away before Alice finally asks, "Will we still be friends after all this is over?"

I reply, "If he and my dad behave themselves, we will be."

As soon as I speak the words, I know that they're very true because in the short few days I've come to know Edward Cullen, he's started to become very important to me.

**A/N: A short one, I know, but I'm typing this one with my eyes half-closed. I probably need to sleep, but I just couldn't leave you guys without something to read.**

**So please ignore any typos you find in this one and share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you on Tuesday.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	27. Chapter-27: Vacuum

**A/N: You guys are amazing. You lift me up with your words of encouragement and make me want to dream bigger every day. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**PLEASE CHECK OUT THE A/N AT THE END. IT'S KINDA IMPORTANT.**

**Chapter-27: Vacuum**

**Word Prompt: **Vacuum

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Yo, DickWard, you seem to be in a good mood."

I turn around at the sound of the familiar voice and immediately feel my face stretch into a wide-ass grin. "AssPer!" I call out loudly, my voice echoing a little in the underground parking lot of my home.

My best friend grins back at me as he moves away from the pillar he's been leaning against and starts to make his way to me. When he's at arm's length, he raises a hand, and punches my arm.

"Dude! What the fuck?" I complain in a very non-CEO Cullen voice. "I thought you'd pull me in for hugs and kisses!" My sarcasm is at its all-time high at the sight of him.

He snorts. "As if! Have you seen your face? Sharp and sexy, that's my type, Cullen … not asswipes."

"Douche," I retort quickly, rejoining our game of tug-of-insults … it's a guy thing for us. "When did you come back?"

He pretends to punch me again before letting his hand fall. "That's what the punch was for, you ass. You didn't come to pick me up."

I raise an eyebrow at him and exclaim in a shocked voice, "You thought I was gonna 'pick you up'? Sorry to burst your bubble, J, but I don't pick up guys. That's not really my style."

He shoves on my shoulder lightly, calling me a dick.

I stop my laughter and say sincerely, "I'm sorry, dude. I uh … got caught up in a previous engagement."

"Previous engagement?" he repeats in a teasing manner. "You didn't ditch me for a booty call, did you, Ed?"

I quickly shake my head because a sort-of-but-not-really lunch date with Bella is anything _but_ a booty call. "I had a lunch meeting," I tell him, motioning him to follow me as I lead the way to the elevator that will take us to my penthouse.

"Lunch _meeting_?" he prods again. "_You_ arranged to _work_ during lunch time? What happened to 'lunch time is only for steak'?"

"Well … you know …" I trail off, looking for a good enough reason to stop talking about this.

The elevator arrives, and I'm about to get on it when he grabs my shoulder and makes me stop. "Jasper, what the …?"

Before I can finish that thought, he's poking on my arms and looking at me like I'm an alien. Then he opens his mouth, and I realize that that's exactly what he's thinking.

"You're a body-snatcher, aren't you?" he asks me, narrowing his eyes. "You came here in a spaceship and created some vacuum-like shit to pull my buddy into your crazy alien machine and now you're here in his place."

"Shut the fuck up, J," I say loudly to stop his babbling. "I'm Edward … the human one."

"But …"

I hold my hand up to shut him up and say, "I admit that I might have been a little interested in lunch time while growing up, but times have changed."

"A _little_ interested?" he repeats me with wide eyes. "I can't remember you skipping lunch_ once_ from high school through college."

I finally give up and spill the beans. "It's a girl, okay? I had lunch with a girl."

Immediately, he is all white-ass toothy grins as he says, "Really now? A girl? That's interesting. Is she pretty?"

"Pretty doesn't even begin to cut it, man," I reply honestly. "She's downright perfect. You'll see when you meet her."

There's surprise on his face as he asks, "You're already at the 'meeting friends' stage?"

"No," I say with a shake of my head. "But I know that I want us to be."

Before I can get sucked into one of my many Bella-induced fantasies, I push the elevator button. "Come on, let's get you settled in. You can rest up tonight because, tomorrow, we're gonna go out for drinks."

"Hell yeah!" He hi-fives me. "We're gonna get stink-ass drunk tomorrow."

_Amen to that, buddy._

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Now onto the important stuff: I'M GOING ON A WORK TRIP TONIGHT. SO THERE WILL BE NO UPDATES UNTIL THE COMING SATURDAY.**

**I know it sucks, but I promise when I get back, the wait will be worth it.**

**See you on Saturday.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	28. Chapter-28: Canal

**A/N: I'm back! You guys are amazing. You lift me up with your words of encouragement and make me want to dream bigger every day. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**This chapter is in EPOV because it's been almost a week and our boy has been missing you all tremendously. So enjoy! ;)**

**Chapter-28: Canal**

**Word Prompt: **Canal

**Dialogue Flex: **"I'm fed up with everything."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I used to think that at the age of 27, binge drinking with my best friends isn't that big of a deal. I thought I was right … until tonight.

The night out with Jasper and Ben started great. We were three buddies having a fuckawesome time … until Jasper suggested we go to a small hole-in-the-wall type pub for binge drinking, and I, being the dumbest fucker on the planet, agreed.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Nothing's gonna work, man," Jasper laments in his whiniest voice. "I'm fed up with everything. I'm gonna die alone."

Being the emotional drunk he is, Ben reaches over me to pat Jasper on the head as if he was patting a dog. "It'll get better, man," he almost croons to him. "Everything will get better, I promise."

I move my head away from the firing line to avoid spittoons flying off Ben's mouth landing on my extremely pretty face.

A foolish grin stretches on my lips as I think of my face as _pretty_._ Bella calls me pretty. I miss Bella._

To say that we are very drunk will be a big ass understatement.

Jasper punches my shoulder pretty hard and scowls at me.

"Dude! Quit throwing punches at me," I complain loudly.

His face remains unimpressed by my _very impressive_ impersonation of his whiny ass as he tells me, "I'm in a crisis here, Ed. So be a good best friend and stop smiling like you're auditioning for a fucking toothpaste commercial."

I can't believe he could talk to me like that. So in retaliation, I do what any self-respecting grown man would've done—I stick my tongue out and blow a raspberry at him.

"You got dumped by Maria 'the bitch' Sanchez for the fourth fucking time, you ass. I think it's time you looked into other options," I say solemnly.

Jasper tries to glare at me, but ends up crossing his eyes. "I've two things to tell you. First, don't take that bitch's name in front of me. I'm finished with her," he declares and then lets out a loud burp.

I exchange a hopeless look with Ben and wait patiently for Jasper to continue, but he just stares at the Strawberry Daiquiri in his hand. Oh yeah, in case you didn't know, depressed drunk Jasper prefers girly cocktails.

When he doesn't speak, Ben pipes up, "And the second?"

Jasper turns his glazed up eyes on us and asks back, looking completely clueless, "Second what?"

"You were talking about Maria," I prompt him helpfully.

Apparently, he doesn't know jack about appreciating helpful friends because the asshole tries to punch me _again_.

Lucky for me, I have the reflexes of a ninja. So, I duck out of the way of his mitts just in time for that fist to connect with Ben's jaw instead.

"J, what the fuck, bro?" Ben looks at Jasper like he has just told him that he's gone gay and he'll take any dick except Ben's in his ass. "I thought you loved me!"

_Emotional asshole._

An untimely and little bit unmanly giggle escapes me when I repeat what my highly intellectual mind has just conjured up.

"Yeah, Jasper, tell Benny Bean that you love his dick!"

The scorching looks my friends throw in my way tell me that maybe I spoke out loud.

_Oopps._

Ben tries to glare at me through his bespectacled eyes and ends up squinting instead. "Did you just talk about my dick?"

"Yep," I reply with an affirmative nod. "Little Benny Bean Ben."

Without another word, Ben throws a punch at me and ends up punching his own face—how? I don't even know.

_Fuck! That's gotta hurt!_

He topples over from his stool and then lands ass-first on the floor. He sits up looking a little dazed. And then his eyes land on me. "You punched me!"

"No, you punched yourself," I clarify.

"Yeah, I saw it happen," Jasper tries to vouch for my innocence. And that's the moment when Ben scrambles up on his feet and launches his skinny ass body at the two of us.

"You two hate me! Why? Why do you hate me?" he keeps on saying while trying to aim a fist at Jasper and poke me in the eye with his elbow.

That's when we hear a gruff voice.

"Break it up, kids. You don't want to get hurt."

I push Ben's elbow from my line of vision and look at the guy standing over our tangled limbs. He looks like he's about my father's age with a full-on handlebar mustache going on.

In my drunken eyes, he looks like a giant. So, I let my mouth fly again. "Hey! You look like Hulk Hogan, the wrestler, I mean. You know the one with that stupid mustache?"

His smile falls, and to me, he looks like a bull ready to charge me with its horns raised. "Did you just call my mustache 'stupid', boy?"

Now the intelligent thing to do in this situation would've been to shake my head, lie and then probably vomit—just to get sympathy from the old man.

But the inebriated mind is anything but dishonest. So, I grin up at him, stand up and say sweetly, "Yes, sir. That would be correct."

And then I puke my guts out … on The Hulk Hogan of Seattle's clean and pressed plaid shirt.

"Boy! I feel like a perched canal," I tell him after wiping my mouth on his shirt tail. "Maybe I need another drink."

He looks like he would've loved nothing more than to shoot my brains out as he says through gritted teeth, "You better run, sunshine. Now!"

"Why? The party's just …"

"Ended," Jasper finishes for me and grabs the back of my head while tugging Ben up with his other hand. "We're gone," he tells Hulk Hogan and then pulls us out of the bar.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Fuck! I gotta pee," Ben complains when the chilly night air hits us.

For once, I agree with him. "Me too," I say before pointing out to a car parked ahead of us. "Hey, Benny, let's go pee behind that car. There's no plant to water around here anyway."

He nods, and we pull Jasper with us. When we reach the car, we stand in a single line and spray the back with our own version of yellow rain.

I crack up at the thought. _Yellow rain. I'm a fucking riot tonight._

"What the hell are you doing to my car?" We hear the gruff voice of the Hogan Wannabe holler from behind us.

So we do what any smart guy would do. We pull up our pants and then run the fuck away from there.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The next day, I realize that Drunk Edward is the King of Stupid Fucktards.

**A/N: Yeah, I might have been a wrestling fan while growing up. ;)**

**Anyway, thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**I missed you guys a lot. :***

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	29. Chapter-29: Upbeat, Upstart, Upstairs

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed the last one. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**This chapter is written as a birthday present for a very dear friend of mine, Reshmi. I hope all your dreams come true, little one. Love you. xoxo**

**Chapter-29: Upbeat, Upstart, Upstairs**

**Word Prompts: ** Upbeat, upstart, upstairs

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Emmett, you know I love you, don't you, kid?" my dad asks loudly over the upbeat music my doof of a cousin has playing.

"Of course, Uncle Charlie," Em replies with a grin. Short of batting his eyelashes and drawing an imaginary halo on top of his head, he acts like he's an angel around my parents.

"Good," dad says with satisfaction before leaning close to Emmett's ear and yelling at the top of his lungs, "Then shut that ridiculous jumble of noise you call music down. It's getting on my nerves."

The yell catches Em off guard and he almost topples over from his lounge chair in his haste to shut the rap song he has on repeat.

I cannot help the snort that escapes me at the sight, making my dad turn his angry eyes on me.

"What's happening to the youth of your generation?" he asks, sounding rhetorical.

I raise an eyebrow at him and ask back, "What happened, dad? Did mom pour a glass of water on you to wake you up this morning? Or did a bird do its business on your head while you were taking your morning stroll?"

My words are meant to be a tease and nothing more. So when instead of grumbling at my smartass comments like usual, dad's face turns red and he starts to mutter under his breath, Em and I let out a collective gasp.

"No! Aunt Reneé poured water on you to wake you up?" Trust Emmett to overreact and be the drama queen.

Dad presses his lips together and just shakes his head.

I hazard a guess this time. "A bird pooped on you this morning?" I'm honestly not a bad egg, but the imagery of my dad's hair and his beloved handlebar sprinkled with bird poop is too funny for me to keep quiet.

A choking sound comes out of me which makes Em look at me, and then we're both laughing and snorting like two idiots.

Dad glares at the two of us before letting out a long sigh. "It wasn't bird poop," he says.

"Then what was it?"

"Urine … _human_ urine."

His answer makes me gag and I'm out of my seat and as far away from his as the living room permits in a flash. "Eww. Daddy, how did you get human urine on you?"

He opens his mouth to answer, but Emmett, ever the knowledgeable, steps in. "Ooohh. I know. Maybe Aunt Reneé peed in her sleep and you slipped on the pee?"

My mom takes that minute to enter the living room and throws a scandalized look at him. "Emmett McCarty, what did you just say?"

"Shit, Aunt Reneé, I was just taking a guess. Bed wetting at your age isn't that uncommon …" He trails off when he sees me make throat slashing movements to tell him to cut it off. He offers mom a sheepish smile before asking, "You didn't pee in your sleep, did you?"

"No! How could you even think that? I'm very disappointed in you, young man," she scolds him. "I'll be having a conversation with Ginny tonight about your _guessing_ expertise. And no cookies for you today."

His face pales at the thought of no cookies and his mom finding out about his guess, and he promptly starts groveling. "Aunt Reneé, I'm so sorry. You know I'm an upstart guy, don't you?"

Watching him feels like watching a train wreck. I know that mom is barely holding on to the urge to whack him upside the head for the comment he made already, and now this?

Fortunately for him, dad decides to interfere. "Son? You do know that upstart applies to things like situations or inanimate objects, don't you?"

Em stops his blabbing and then nods excitedly. "Yes! Exactly! I really don't know what I'm talking about, Aunt Reneé. So please forgive me?" He gives her his famous dimpled-smile.

Mom pretends to give him a stern look before breaking into a smile. "How can I ever stay mad at my favorite nephew?"

_Oh my God! This is so unfair!_

I decide to protest this manipulation and exclaim, "Mom, he's your _only_ nephew. Besides he called you a bed-wetter. How can you forgive him so easily?"

"Oh hush, Bella!" mom tells me. "He's just a little naïve."

Dad must notice my rebellious look because he quickly tries to deflect the situation from turning into a pouting competition between Emmett and me—by revealing the truth about the pee incident.

"Three drunks peed on my car."

There's silence in the room for a heartbeat before Emmett asks, "What? Were you inside the car at that time?"

Dad rolls his eyes at him in response to his dumb question and continues on with his sordid tale. "I went to Waylon's Bar last night to check up on the old man. There, I saw three kids—or big babies, if you'll prefer—break into a fight."

"You got into a bar fight?" I ask with wide eyes, not believing that my good old almost-retired dad would get dragged into bar fights at his age. But why else will the guys pee on his car?

"No! I tried to stop those idiots," he answers.

"Then the pee?"

He sighs. "That's where the disrespectful behavior comes in. One of the idiots called me stupid and then puked on me, and after I'd told them to beat it, I came out of the bar in time to see them peeing on my car."

I narrow my eyes, wondering who the fuck had the balls to call my dad stupid. I know he's a little stupid at times, but he's _my_ dad. No one gets to call him stupid. "He called you stupid?" I ask in a deceptively calm voice.

He remains silent for a moment before giving up the gem of the story. "He called my mustache stupid."

"Oh God!" Mom shakes her head at him. "Honey, you need to lose the handlebar. You can keep the mustache, but not the handlebars."

That makes him shake his head vehemently. "No! Ren, those three didn't seem like the sharpest tools in the shade. I mean, the one who called my mustache stupid definitely seemed to be lacking a bit in the upstairs department," he says, pointing at his temple.

Emmett, being the dumbass he is, lets out a whoop and holds his hand out to hi-five dad. "Yeah, Uncle Charlie! Your handlebar rocks!"

_I hope for his sake that he's doing this for the cookies because otherwise, I'll be worried for the sanity of my dear cousin as well._

**A/N: So now you know who the Hulk Hogan is. ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review, please?**

**This one has been one long chapter. And because I love you guys, there's gonna be an update tomorrow as well. :D**

**And tomorrow, we get PLPB and Mystery Girl back together. ;)**

**See you tomorrow then.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	30. Chapter-30: Insolent

**A/N: I hope you're enjoying this journey with these crazy kids. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Chapter-30: Insolent**

**Word Prompt: **Insolent

**Audio-Visual Challenge—Musical Mastery: **"Breathe" by Ryan Star

Listen to the sample, then write whatever comes to you first.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Jasper listens to my side of the story—what little I can remember of the night before—in silence and then lets out a groan. "Man! I don't remember every little detail, but I'm sure we acted like insolent pricks last night when we peed on the poor man's car," he says.

"Poor man?" I scoff. "Jas, he was like Hulk-fucking-Hogan. I may not remember much, but I remember the handlebar mustache."

He remains quiet, and I feel guilty about what we did. So I ask, "Do you think we should go and apologize to him?"

"Sure. That's a conversation I'm looking forward to," he replies, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Hi, sir, we're sorry for peeing on your car because we're three assholes who have bladders the size of teaspoons."

"You really are an asshole," I tell him. "I was just being rational."

He snorts into the phone. "Rational? Fine, Mr. Rational DickWard, tell me, how do you intend to find him in the first place to apologize? You wanna put an advertisement in the newspaper? I can see the words right now: **Address Wanted- three drunk men require the address of a old man who has a handlebar mustache in order to ask him for forgiveness for showering his lovely vehicle with urine.**"

"I hate you," I say.

"Cry me a river, Cullen," he responds. "Now forget about the old dude and start thinking of ways for charming the pants off your girl tonight."

That promptly shoots the Hulk Hogan Wannabe out of my mind, and for the rest of the day, all I can think about is Bella.

_Jasper called her my girl. I want her to be my girl too._

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

When my head stops hurting like someone is trying to drive a fucking sledgehammer through it, I locate my cell phone and send a text message to my Bella.

**Good morning, beautiful girl. How are you this morning? ~Edward**

My phone chimes with her response when I'm in the middle of shoveling food into my mouth to get rid of the dry-mouth symptom of hangover.

_**Oh, Pretty Boy, your words are very flattering. I'm actually looking forward for the day to end so that a charming man can take me to dinner. ~Bella.**_

A ridiculous grin sneaks up on my face as I read her response.

**Shall I pick you up from your place then? ~Edward**

After hitting send, I realize that I have no idea where she lives. I didn't have the foresight to ask for her address yesterday.

_Stupid, Ed!_ I curse myself for my lack of foresight.

Without knowing what I'm doing, I text her again.

**I didn't want to come across as the stalker sort. I just want to take care of you, baby. ~Edward.**

I wait for a whole minute, but the phone remains silent. It's only when I got to get out of my seat to put the dishes into the dishwasher, my phone starts to ring.

Her name flashes on the screen.

_Shit! I didn't scare her, did I?_

Taking the call, I wait for her to speak, and she does. "Edward?" Her voice is a soft whisper, different from the strong and confident girl I've come to know.

Immediately, my apprehension gives way to concern for this extraordinary girl. "Bella, what is it?"

She speaks in that soft whisper as she asks, "Will it be ok if I meet you there instead?"

A frown pulls my eyebrows upward. "Is it something to do with your work?" I ask before adding, "Or do you not trust me to keep my word?"

Yeah, I can be insecure at times.

What she says is something I don't expect. "I … uh … I want to trust you, Edward. Honestly, I do."

When she doesn't elaborate, I prompt her, "I think I can sense a '_but_' coming there somewhere."

The sound of her laughter is a little strained as she tells me, "But the truth is, I've never had anyone take care of me before. I mean someone who isn't family, you know?"

"And?"

"And it freaked me out a little when you said you want to take care of me," she confesses.

And in that moment, I long to be able to wrap this girl up in my arms and never let go because she deserves to be cared for … always.

I try to calm her down with my voice as I say, "Bella, baby, it was just a suggestion. If you want to drive yourself, that's fine. I'm just happy that you gave me a chance."

She sounds relived when she responds with a soft 'ok' before hanging up.

Reflecting on what I know of Bella Swan so far, I come to a few conclusions. First, Bella was a very strong-willed woman. She was probably the most responsible one in her family.

Second, she must think that she has to do everything alone … as if there's no one to shoulder her responsibilities.

And third, I am going to make her understand that she didn't have to shoulder the weight of the world alone anymore. Because a part of me craves to be able to take care of her … a very strong part of me.

_Fuck! Is this the rabbit hole?_


	31. Chapter-31: Shred

**A/N: I hope you enjoyed this journey with these crazy kids. Thank you for your support. It means the world to me. :)**

**Please see the A/N at the end of the chapter, it's kind of important.**

**Chapter-31: Shred**

**Word Prompt: **Shred

**Plot Generator—Phrase Catch: **A friend in need is a friend indeed.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"You told him 'no'?" Alice asks me for the second time.

I take a sip of my soda to allow myself a few more seconds to think before answering her. "Yes."

"Bell," she calls my name softly, telling me that she understands where I'm coming from without words, but she disagrees. "You can't let that jackass rule your life."

"Alice …" I start, but she holds her hand up to stop me.

"Let me finish, please?"

When I nod, she continues. "Bell, I know you've been gun-shy about relationships after what that jerk put you through, but you need to realize something."

I raise an eyebrow, asking her silently to elaborate—which she does. "Not everyone is like him. Edward might not be anything like that douche bag. The guy seems to like you."

"I like him too," I whisper as I clutch the pillow to my chest—a little part of my heart wishing it was Edward I was hugging and not the damn pillow. "I was an insensitive bitch today, wasn't I?"

She shakes her head. "No, you weren't. You didn't cancel on him, Bell. You just said that you'll meet him at the restaurant instead of have him pick you up from home. Don't make Edward pay for what that asshole did."

My mind goes to the bright smile Edward had given me the day before when we parted, reminding me sweetly about our date._ He's such a sweet man!_

"You're right. He might not be like Jacob," I finally concede.

Alice nods, popping a bite-size brownie in her mouth. "He asked you out even when he was thinking that you might be involved with a mob. If that doesn't tell you how different he is from that ass, I don't know what will."

_Yes, Edward is a brave man … and he's so very pretty._

I'm brought out of my daydreams of Pretty Boy by the sound of Alice's voice. "Besides, he goes into gay bars, for crying out loud! He's practically perfect."

Narrowing my eyes at her, I ask, "And a guy who goes into gay bars is perfect in your eyes, why?"

"Because he's secure in his masculinity," she responds.

I don't tell her that I just wanted to take baby-steps after Jacob tried to shred my life into pieces. I don't have to because she already knows that.

Without another word, she pulls me into a hug and then says in my ear, "I hope he makes you happy, Bell. I've seen you smile and laugh more than usual on the last few days and I'm not ready to stop seeing that."

"I like laughing," I confide in her. "He makes me laugh."

Tightening my arms around her, I add, "Thanks, Alice, for being there for me whenever I need you. You're such a great friend."

She scoffs. "Great? Oh please! I'm the best friend you've got."

I don't even try to contradict her. I simply smile and hug her tighter. "You really are."

**A/N: Thank you for reading.**

**Here goes the important stuff: I'M THINKING OF QUITTING POSTING ON FFn. NO, I'M NOT QUITTING WRITING, JUST NOT ON FFn. I know it might seem unfair to you, but I've had it with the drama in here. There are some people who don't have the guts to give me their names or a chance to respond to them, and instead, they go on and attack me on a personal level—me, the writer, and not the fics. I've been called egotistic among other things lately and I don't think my **_**ego**_** can take it anymore. So I think it's time to stop letting those people ruin my day with their whining.**

**It's been a great year of sharing my crazy fics with you. And I look forward to keep on writing. I'll continue posting on TWCS, AO3 and FictionPad. So if you wish, you can always come say hi over there. I go by TwiAddictAnne in those sites as well.**

**Thank you for loving these crazy fics I come up with. I'm gonna miss you guys.**

**I'm not saying it's goodbye yet, I'm just letting you know that it's under consideration for now.**

**So see you tomorrow?**

**Lots of love,**

**Ann**


	32. Chapter-32: Claw

**A/N: Your words for the last chapter were so sweet, so supportive that you've had me both crying and smiling at the same time. I didn't imagine I'll have so many amazing people supporting me. It was humbling, and I'm truly touched by your words. Thank you for believing in me enough to want to follow me to the other sites. You guys made me realize once again that if my words can put a smile on the face of even one person from across the world then I need to focus on that instead of the handful of people who tried to belittle me. Because it's much easier to make people cry than to make them smile … and that's what I hope to do with my words. So after thinking carefully, I've decided to keep on posting on FFn for now. I will post on the other sites too.**

**Let's smile today, shall we?**

* * *

**Chapter-32: Claw**

**Word Prompt: **Claw

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Taking a deep breath, I try to resist the urge to look at my watch again, and surprisingly I succeed—for a total of forty long seconds.

_Fuck!_ We said that we'd meet at eight, and it's a hundred and forty five seconds till eight and Bella is still a no show.

Before I can work myself into a frenzy, I hear the sound of a car pulling over next t mine. I turn my head to the side and look.

And then I see her. She smiles at me through the car windows that separate us before reaching down to unbuckle her seatbelt. My mind jumpstarts at that, and I'm out of my car and opening her door for her in just under ten seconds flat.

Her eyes dance with mirth as she looks into mine. "Wow! That was fast, Pretty Boy. You're not a vampire or anything are you?" she asks, getting out of the car,

_Damn! Way to seem overeager, Cullen!_ I curse myself as I close her door behind her. "You look beautiful, Bella," I tell her.

Not because I want to get into her pants, but because she really is beautiful. Her midnight blue dress reaches just above her knees, showing me those perfectly shaped legs of hers. The way the neckline of the dress curves around her neck, it makes me want to kiss her neck all fucking day.

She moves forward, disrupting my shameless ogling of her momentarily as she gives me a hug. "You look quite the handsome gentleman yourself, Pretty Boy," she whispers to me.

The moment our bodies touch, I feel it—the little thorns from the fucking rosebuds poking my stomach—where I had kept them hidden under my jacket.

_Not one of my best ideas, it seems._

I quickly pull the flowers out of my inner pocket and hold them out to her. "Beautiful flowers for a beautiful girl," I say.

_Yes, I'm the epitome of cheesy. Sue me._

She giggles as she accepts the flowers, bringing them close to her face. "They're really pretty. Thank you," she says before kissing my cheek and starting to make her way into the restaurant.

As I watch her walk by, the sway of her hips hypnotize me, and I wonder if I would have to claw some asshole's eyes out today if he even looks at my girl wrong.

But then I remember that my girl is a FBI agent who can kick some major asses if anyone so much as looks at her wrong.

So maybe I won't have to claw anyone's eyes out, but that doesn't mean that I won't want to.

_What are you doing to me, Bella Swan?_

* * *

**A/N: So thoughts?**

**Share them with me, please.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	33. Chapter-33: Foolproof

**A/N: You guys are so good to me. Thank you for your encouraging words. They mean a lot to me.**

**Chapter-33: Foolproof**

**Word Prompt: **Foolproof

**Dialogue Flex: **"We need a little more practice."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

As we walk side by side, I see his hand reach toward mine a few times, but in the end, he settles for letting it hover over the small of my back.

When the hostess leads us to our table though, I'm in awe of this man. No, he doesn't fall down on his knees and ask me to marry him, because, that would've freaked me the hell out.

No, what he does is much sweeter.

He pulls out my chair for me and waits till I'm seated before walking around to take a seat across from me.

_Now that's how a gentleman should act._

I let out a small sigh as I look at the sweet and extremely handsome man sitting across from me.

He looks right back at me and raises an eyebrow in question. "You're not regretting this are you?" he asks, sounding a little worried.

"What? No, of course not. What would make you think that?" I ask back in shock.

He doesn't look into my eyes as he shrugs. "I just thought you sounded a little less … I don't know."

Fuck! I made him think I was second-guessing this date.

"Edward?" I call his name and wait for him to look at me. Then I continue, "I'm thrilled to be here with you. You hear me? I'd wanted to go out with you since the night we met."

"But …" He frowns and then stops, letting that one word hang between us.

"Hey." I reach over to place my hand on his before saying, "I just have a bad experience about dating. That's it. It had nothing to do with you, and I'm glad I took a chance on you tonight."

I see the question behind his eyes, but then, he proves just how amazing he is and nods. "Okay. I'm glad you took a chance on me too."

Our conversation is interrupted when the waiter for the night shows up to take our order, and when he leaves, Edward is the first one to speak. "I saw you before that night though."

Now it's my turn to be confused. "Where?" I ask, trying to remember if he had seen me stare at him at the café before that night.

"The café," he answers. "The first time I saw you, you were blocking the entrance and smiling up at the sun. I remember seeing the awestruck look on your face at you looked up at the sky and thinking that you were the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

I feel my cheeks heat up at his words and bite my lip, looking for something to say. "Yeah, the sky was really pretty that day."

_Yep, I'm awkward extraordinaire when it comes to this man!_

He doesn't look at me like I'm crazy though. Instead, he flips over his hand, entwining our fingers together before replying. "I know. You made me notice."

And cue the blush.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Our dinner goes smoothly and after the initial awkwardness of this different setting melts away, we're talking and smiling like two people who are getting to know each other.

It's comfortable and exciting at the same time.

I wanna know everything about him … and not from pulling his criminal records like Alice used to do before deciding whether to date a man or not.

"So what about you?" I ask, after popping the last piece of my pasta in my mouth. "If your best friend goes to gay bars to pick up women who work there as bartenders, what do you do? What's your foolproof plan to pick up girls?"

He takes a sip of his wine and grins at me. "I'm too pretty to even need a plan, baby."

His smile makes me smile and I nod, looking right at him. "I can't say that I disagree with you, Pretty Boy."

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

When we get out of the restaurant, he hesitates for just a moment before nudging my pinky finger with his. I, being the perpetually impatient one, take his hand and give it a squeeze.

The smile he rewards me with in respond is so fucking beautiful.

He whispers to me that he doesn't want the date to end, and I agree. So he takes me to get milkshakes from a place across the street.

Yes, it's not a sophisticated dessert choice, but it's very _us_ anyway. I love the idea.

When he walks me back to my car, he rubs the pulse point on the inside of my wrist with his thumb and says softly, "I hope you had fun tonight."

"I did, thank you," I reply to him. "But I think we need a little more practice."

He looks confused by my remark, and I try to explain, "A little more practice on dating, I mean."

"Dating?" His face pales a little. "You want to go on more dates?"

"Yeah …" I answer slowly, not seeing why he sounded so worried.

"With … me?"

His question makes me smile and I nod, putting my arms around his neck. "Yes, you adorably handsome man, with you."

The worry in his eyes gets replaced by a look of something much hotter as he puts a hand on my face and asks me a question I've never been asked in my life before. "May I kiss you, beautiful Bella?"

"You're the first one to have ever asked," I tell him before taking a step closer to him.

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	34. Chapter-34: Century

**A/N: You guys are the best. Thank you for your support. This chapter is dedicated to all of you wonderful people for getting DreamWeaver to the 500+ reviews mark. :)**

**Chapter-34: Century**

**Word Prompt: **Century

**Plot Generator—Idea Completion: **That's the way the cookie crumbles.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

She takes a step closer to me, letting her smell wash over me. I try to be the gentleman my mom taught me to be and place a hand on her cheek, stroking lightly and reveling in the warmth of her skin against mine.

And then it occurs to me just where we are standing.

In a parking lot outside a restaurant.

_Not good enough, Cullen,_ I chastise myself as I step away from her, letting my hand fall from her face.

She raises her eyes to look at me, and I see so many emotions in there … shock, questions and worst of all, hurt.

_Fuck! Am I the one to put it there?_

"Bella, will you come with me?" I ask, desperately trying to put on a calm face for her while inside, I'm screaming at myself for hurting her feelings.

She doesn't ask me where, instead, she places her hand in mine and looks into my eyes.

I close my hand around hers, holding her to me like she's my anchor to reality. We walk toward the lake that lines the restaurant, and when we reach the side of it, I stop.

She sneaks a look at me before looking back at the water, her hand still clutched in mine.

"Bella?"

She tilts her head a little to the side, looking at me, yet not meeting my eyes. I reach out to move a lock of hair from her face and let my fingers stroke her cheek. "Hey."

I see her close her eyes as the back of my fingers nudge her chin, and then she looks at me. "What happened?"

Like the dork I am, I reply, "I realized where we were."

"And?"

"And I didn't want our first kiss to be in an empty parking lot."

The corners of her mouth twitch a little as she asks again, "Why are we here?"

"Because I couldn't let you go without kissing you tonight."

She lifts her face to mine, putting those pink and very enticing lips in my line of vision.

"You're so beautiful," I whisper as I hold her face in between my hands.

"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder," she whispers back, letting our lips barely brush against each other.

I keep my eyes locked on hers as I close the little gap between us and brush her lips with mine.

Heaven. That's what kissing Bella feels like. My eyes close on their own accord as I feel her kiss me back.

Our lips meet in shy strokes at first, and then she runs her tongue over my lips and it feels like a fire has been lit inside me.

I let my hands slide down from her face and wrap them around her waist while her hands grasp the lapels of my jacket and hold me close to her.

Closed lips open and our tongues greet each other for the first time, and I feel like I've been waiting for a century for this woman.

This woman who makes me feel … _alive_.

When I start to feel light-headed from the lack of air in my lungs, I break our kiss. But the urge to taste her skin is too great to overcome, and my lips go back to her. They run along the line of her chin before sliding down the graceful column of her neck and then, they come back to meet her lips once again.

She lets out a soft moan as ours lips come together again and allows her teeth to graze my lower lip, pulling it into her mouth.

_Fuck! She's so sexy._

As our lips part this time, I hold back from going back to her. "Baby, we need to slow down," I tell her while trying to get as much oxygen as I can into my lungs.

"Why?" she asks, letting her fingers play with the hair at the back of my head. She tugs at them, making me almost lose control. Almost.

"I need to do this the right way. You're far too important to me to rush into things and lose focus on what's more important," I say.

"What's more important?" Her voice is low, and it goes straight to my dick.

"You. Us. Whatever this is between us, it's important to me," I tell her.

Her eyes almost burn into mine as she moves forward to place a kiss on my lips again. "You're so much more than I expected," she says. "More in a good way … a sexy kind of way."

I feel my dick getting ready to salute her when she says the last bit, and in an attempt to calm myself down, I try to think of anything but sexy thoughts about this amazing woman in my arms.

And that's when my verbal diarrhea comes back to bite me in the ass.

"I think my sister's dating a drag."

_Fuck! Cullen, what did you say that for?_

She blinks at my confession and says, "I'm not a drag, if that was your way of asking me."

"Shit! Sorry," I apologize, wishing I was more flexible so that I could kick my own damn ass. "I don't know where that came from. You're a woman, I know that … a very beautiful and 100% real life woman. I was just trying to get my dick to calm down … shit!"

_Shut the fuck up now, Cullen!_

I clamp my mouth shut and wait for the well-deserved slap to land on my face. It never comes. Instead, I hear a giggle.

Opening my eyes, I see Bella laugh at me. "You're so cute when you ramble," she says.

"I ruined our night, didn't I?" I ask, feeling horrible. "I guess that's the way the cookie crumbles for losers like me."

She shakes her head and rises on her tiptoes to kiss my nose. "No, you didn't. You took me on a perfect date. You kissed me, making me feel adored for the first time in … well, ever. And then you confessed to have a problem down there to need to calm down because of me. I think it makes you many things, Edward, but _not_ a loser."

"I'm still feeling like an idiot, Bella."

There's a teasing smile on her face as she takes my hand in hers and places a kiss on my palm before saying, "You maybe an idiot at times, but I like that you're being an idiot for me."

"Did you just call me _your_ idiot?" I ask, grinning like a fool.

Her smile matches my grin, and she nods. "That sounds about right."

And then I'm smiling because if I'm being her idiot then maybe … just maybe … she wants to be _my_ Bella.

**A/N: Thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	35. Chapter-35: Prank, Blank, Crank

**A/N: You guys are the best. Thank you for your continued support. It truly means a lot to me.**

**Chapter-35: Prank, Blank, Crank**

**Word Prompts: ** Prank, blank, crank

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Waking up in the morning, I'm greeted with a text message waiting for me from him.

**Good morning, my beautiful Bella. Is it crazy that I miss you already? ~Edward**

A smile stretches on my face, almost threatening to split it in two as I respond to him.

**Good morning, Pretty Boy. I think I missed you the moment I got into my car and saw you walk away. ~Bella**

I know it sounded so cheesy, but yeah, I really miss that beautiful man of mine.

My smile broadens as I remember the way he kissed me the night before. The sound of an incoming text message brings me out of my reverie, and I look down at my cell phone to see a kissy-face emoticon on his response.

Grinning, I send him one back and add, **I want real kisses when we meet again, just so you know. ~Bella**

His answer makes me blush.

**You can count on it, beautiful. ~Edward**

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Dad, you need to calm down," I say into the phone while loading my washing machine with a new load of laundry.

I can hear him grumble under his breath as he settles down in front of the TV for his day off. "Bells, I'm the Chief of Police here. How do you think it reflects on me if I let some rowdy boys play pranks on me and then get away with it?"

I stifle a snort and make a non-committal noise, not feeling like I want my nice morning to turn into an ode to the pee-boys.

Thankfully, he doesn't get there before there's a knock on the front door and I say in a rush, "Dad, Em's here with breakfast. Talk to you later, ok? Love you. Bye."

He mutters something about growing up with a bottomless black hole and sounding like I'm starving before hanging up.

Finally.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"You hooked up," Alice says from behind me as soon as I open the door to let my cousin in.

Emmett's face is perfectly blank as he asks, "What's that now?"

"You hooked up," she repeats herself, pointing to him. "You have your hook-up face going on."

He opens his mouth to say something when I hold up a hand to stop them both. "Okay, Alice, Em's like an honorary brother to you. So it's kind of gross that you know his hook-up face." Emmett grins widely at Alice, poking his tongue out for good measure.

Shaking my head at them both, I add, "And Em, if you don't want us to know about your personal life, you should wipe that grin off your face before coming over."

He doesn't even try to deny it as he smiles, showing off his dimples. "I might have cranked the heat up just a little bit with my girl this morning," he confesses.

"Good for you, big brother. So when are we meeting this girl of yours?" I ask him.

"When you bring that boy of yours home," he answers without missing a beat.

_My boy._

Is it normal to feel this happy just to be able to call a guy mine? I don't know the answer to that, but if Edward was my boy, I didn't care for normal too much.

**A/N: I know, it's short, but I tried to keep it within the limits of a flashfic for a change.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	36. Chapter-36: Sunshine

**A/N: Hi, guys! *waves***

**Ready for a new dream? Dream on. :D**

**Chapter-36: Sunshine**

**Word Prompt**: Sunshine

**Audio-Visual Challenge—Imagined Image**: A library

View the image and write whatever comes to you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Good morning, Sunshine." The sound of her voice makes me look up from the notepad I've been frowning at for a while, and I sit up straighter when I see her smile at me from my office door.

_She looks happy for a change._

I decide not to let my confusion show and instead, I smile back at her. "Hey, sis. How was your weekend?"

Rose steps inside my office and softly closes the door behind her before pulling me to stand up from my chair and hugging me. "I'm free, Ed," she says—her voice a choked whisper, filled with emotion. "I'm finally free."

"Free?" Confusion lines my thought for a moment before it dawns on me.

_The restraining order._

"When was your court hearing?"

She lets go of me and raises a beaming face at me. "This morning. I got it. He can't come anywhere near me anymore."

"He was a no-show?" I guess.

Shaking her head, she lets her smile fall. "Oh no! He showed up alright. He had some choice words for me too." She notices the worried look on my face and offers me a timid smile. "Unfortunately for him, so did I ... for him."

"How bad was it?" I ask anxiously, wishing that I could've been there for her.

She shrugs. "Well, by the time we were through with our Battle of Insults, all the female members of the jury were red-faced. So I think it went pretty good."

I snort at her description, and then sober up. "Rose, I'm sorry," I tell her sincerely. "I was a crappy brother. I should've been there with you today."

The smile returns to her face as she says back, "Don't beat yourself up, Edward. You've been a great brother. But you need to live your life too. I can't keep holding you back with my problems." When I open my mouth to protest, she silences me with one of her patented Rosalie Cullen bitch brows. She waits till I close my mouth and then continues. "Besides I wasn't alone. I had a friend with me."

"Pink feather boa carrying kind of friend?" I can't help but tease her, her happiness feeling infectious.

An uncharacteristic blush comes over her face as she nods. "Yes. I think he scared Royce into silence today."

_Really? _I wonder to myself. _Royce is a dickwad, but to be scared of a drag? Who fancies prancing around with pink feather boas draped around him? Yeah, that just proves how much of a ratty asshole Royce is once again._

"Oh yeah?"

My remark comes out sounding like a question, and Rose nods enthusiastically. "Yeah. He's quite big, you see …"

With that, I reach my point of tolerance and exclaim loudly while resisting the urge to stick my fingers in my ears, "Sheesh, Rose, I don't want to know how … ahem … _gifted_ your _friend_ is."

I almost say the words "I'm not interested in hearing about the diameters of his boob implants". Almost. Thankfully, my brain-to-mouth filter works for the time being.

Giving her a hug, I tell my sister, "I'm happy for you, sis. And I support _any_ choice you make."

She looks startled when I put the extra emphasis on the 'any choice' part, but smiles back anyway.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I look down at my cell phone to make sure I'm at the correct address once again.

_A library? She asked me to meet her at a library?_

Walking inside, I follow the instructions she had sent me in a text message about twenty minutes ago, and find myself standing at a secluded section at the upper level of the place.

From up here, I can see books upon books adorning the shelves and so many people wandering around in their midst. Sadly, none of them look like they might be her.

"I missed you," a soft voice whispers very close to my ear.

I whirl around and catch a glimpse of Bella standing in front of me, and then I can't see her anymore. Because she pushes me against a bookshelf and before I know it, her mouth is on mine, greeting me sweetly.

When she separates our mouths, I hold her in my arms and say, "Hi, beautiful."

A shy smile comes on her face as she places a soft kiss on my jaw and whispers against my skin, "Hey."

"Not that I mind the different scenario here, but why the sudden change?" I ask curiously.

She shrugs. "Just thought it'll be something different," she replies, trying to act all non-chalant.

"Bella?" I call her name quietly. "What is it, baby?"

She seems to melt in my arms as she hears me call her name. "Promise me you won't laugh?" she asks back.

Moving her hair away from her face, I hold her face in between my hands. "I promise, my beautiful

mysterious girl."

She takes in a deep breath and lets it out slowly before saying, "I wanted to tell you why I acted the way I did on Saturday …" Seeing the frown on my face, she clarifies, "When you wanted to come and pick me up for our date."

"Really?"

Biting her lip, she sighs. "Yes, and since Katarina is a compulsive eavesdropper, I thought we could talk somewhere quiet."

"Bella, you don't owe me any explanation …" I start, but she puts a finger on my lips to shut me up.

"I know I don't. But I want to do this … if we're going to have anything long-term that is," she sounds nervous as she finishes.

Without another word, I take her hand and kiss the back of it, silently thanking her for trusting me with her life … past, present … and maybe, just maybe the future?

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Tomorrow is Monday, so I'll see you on Tuesday, ok?**

**To those of you who celebrate Easter, wish you a Happy Easter, and to those of you who don't, have a good weekend. :)**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	37. Chapter-37: Camouflage

**A/N: Ready for the mystery to be revealed? ;)**

**Chapter-37: Camouflage**

**Word Prompt: **Camouflage

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I keep my eyes trained on the book I've left open in front of me in case someone wanders up here and take a deep breath. This is going to be one of the hardest things I've done, but I need this. I need to let him in to show him that I trust him.

"Hey." The sound of his voice coupled with the feeling of his hand covering mine from across the table finally give me the last push I need to start talking.

"I was very shy in high school," I start. "Painfully so, in fact. I guess you can say that I used to be the typical nerd in school. And my parents tried a lot of things to help me … including finding guys for me to date. I started getting out of my shell and dating a little bit when I moved on to college, but it was nothing extensive … until Jacob."

Edward flips my hand over to hold it in between his hands and then mutters under his breath, "That's a stupid name."

I smile at his words. "He was a stupid guy," I respond, making him smile slightly. "It was my dad who introduced us. Jacob Black was one of his deputies and apparently a pretty good guy—according to my dad anyway."

That's when Edward interrupts me. "Wait, your dad's a cop?" he looks startled by this information.

"Yeah, he's the Chief of Police in Seattle PD," I say before continuing with my recollection. "Anyway, Jacob wasn't that bad when we first met. Of course he never opened doors for me or held out chairs for me," I add with a grin, making him chuckle lightly. "But it was … nice, being in a relationship, I mean."

"What changed?"

I shrug. "I got into the Academy."

He frowns. "What do you mean? What's your profession got to do with this?"

"Everything," I reply simply, feeling all those old wounds sting a little bit even after a whole year. "When he heard that I was going to be an agent, someone a little higher up on the food chain, he flipped. Turned out, he was hoping to get a promotion if he ever got to put a ring on me." I roll my eyes at the ridiculous thought.

When I take a look at him, there's a faraway look on his face, and I hate to be the one to put it there. "I'm sorry. If you don't want to hear this …"

He tightens his grip on my hand and shakes his head. "No, Bella, I want to know you … all of you. So continue please."

"You sure you're okay?"

Nodding he replies, "Yeah. So what? He tried to use you to climb up the professional ladder?"

"That's one way to put it," I say, remembering how pathetic that asshole made me feel then. "He pretended to be interested in me. That was the height of his deceit … a camouflage to hide who he really was ... a selfish prick."

He doesn't ask me anything except raising an eyebrow in question, and I continue talking. "Things got bad after I got into Narcotics, and then they got really bad when I was promoted to the Organized Crime Division."

"What did he do? Did he hurt you?" Edward's voice is very quiet as he asks the question through gritted teeth.

I quickly shake my head, not wanting to make him think that I'm some damsel in distress because I'm nothing of that sort. "No, he wouldn't have dared to lay a hand on me. He just used his words to do it."

"What did he do, Bella?" he repeats. "What did he say to you?"

"He …" I stop to take a breath before uttering the words that had tormented me for months after that day. "He called me a cheap slut because I was so gullible to let him in my life. And he said I was too immature for him … that I loved my career more than anything. And he said that I'm not marriage material."

When I'm done talking, I wait for him to speak, but it seems like he has been turned into a statue because he doesn't speak until I can't take it anymore.

"Edward, say something, please," I request him in a hoarse voice, wondering if I did the right thing by saying all these to him.

_What if he thinks that I'm not even worth dating because of how invested I am in my job?_

He tilts his head to the side and looks at me. "What did you tell him when he said those words to you?"

His question leaves me feeling baffled, and all I can do is answer with the truth. "I punched him in the face and broke his nose," I respond, starting to pull my hand out of his.

A smile appears on his pretty face as he grabs my hand to stop me. "That's my girl," he says, sounding so damn proud. "Bella, listen to me. You're _not_ a prize to be won for me. No, to me, you're a treasure to be cherished. You are so much more than what that fuck-face was even capable of comprehending." He kisses the back of my hand before continuing. "And you're immature? No, you're like a breath of fresh air in a smog-filled environment."

Something makes my heart skip a beat as I hear him speak so passionately about me and then it starts beating faster when he adds, "Don't even think of what that asshole said to you for one moment, beautiful. I don't believe those things, and I promise to prove that to you one day."

That's the moment I get a glimpse of a new side of my sweet pretty boy—his possessive side. And dare I say it? I like it … a lot.

**A/N: And that's the mystery behind our Mystery Girl. ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	38. Chapter-38: Simple

**A/N: Something different for a change. Someone was just begging to get the floor to speak. So let's get dreaming, shall we?**

**Chapter- 38: Simple**

**Word Prompt: **Simple

**Plot Generator—Binding Blurb:** In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about **flirting with disaster.**

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Early morning, I'm at the convenience store to stock up on Captain Crunches because the Dickward I'm staying with at the moment isn't a big fan of that one.

Standing in front of the shelf stacked with cereal boxes is when I hear a voice huff from behind me. "Are you planning to buy anything or just memorize the labels, Straw Hat?"

I turn around to see a short and very annoyed-looking woman standing behind me—her arms crossed to express her irritation. She's also probably the prettiest girl I've ever seen ... including Maria. "I'm sorry, Ma'am," I say with a charming smile, hoping to make her forget about her annoyance. "I didn't realize that I was blocking your way."

I'm in the middle of giving myself a mental pat on the back for being such a charmer when she glares at me. "Look here, _Straw Hat_, we're not in the fucking 20s, and I'm not a_ Ma'am_. So cut your crap and move away."

_What the fuck? Did she call me that because of my hair? Well little miss sunshine, two can play at this game._

"Oh! Do you prefer Beer Bottle then?" I ask, coming off like the jerk I'm aiming for. "That would go perfectly with your size."

_Yeah, If you don't like the gentleman, you get the asshole._

She looks like she's seriously considering kicking me in the nuts as she snaps, "You should move away, right now."

Maybe I like flirting with disasters, or I'm secretly suicidal, I'm not sure, but suddenly, I find myself asking something you should _never_ ask a girl you meet at a convenience store at the crack of dawn. "Why are you so desperate to go this way?"

She seems at a loss for words before saying in an angry tone, "Because I need tampons, damn it. I woke up and found Aunt Flo was at my door. So I'm here."

That's when I notice that the cereal aisle is just next to the tampon shelves.

_Great! Who was the genius fuckwit to arrange this store anyway?_

For the next few seconds, I wrack my brains for something intelligent to say in response … something that allows me to walk away from this situation with some semblance of dignity.

"Oh! Sure." Yes, that's the brilliant response I can muster before starting to scamper away from her.

_Well, at least that was a simple comeback._

However, before I can make my escape, she laughs and calls me. "Hey, Straw?"

"Yeah?"

_Fuck! Did I just respond to being called Straw?_

As I'm thinking of how to ask Edward to kick my ass for me when I get back home, she smiles at me. "Never cross a woman with PMS again, and maybe you'll get a second chance at calling her Ma'am."

"Yes, Ma'am," I reply and flinch, fearing the tongue-lashing I'm about to get.

Instead, I'm greeted with a smile again. "The name's Alice," she says, and I smile back. "Jasper."

**A/N: Sorry for not updating yesterday. RL happened.**

**So today, you'll get another update. :D**

**Share your thoughts on wannabe-badass, Straw Hat and angry-kitten, Beer Bottle with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you in a few hours.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	39. Chapter-39: Praise

**A/N: Dream#2 is here. Ready for it? :)**

**Chapter-39: Praise**

**Word Prompt: **Praise

**Dialogue Flex: **"Are you usually this stubborn?"

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The morning after Bella's revelation about her past relationships, I wake up to the sound of Jasper's loud as fuck voice. "Ed, dude, you need to wake the hell up, like yesterday."

With extreme difficulty, I crack open an eye to give him half a glower. "What the fuck, Assper? I was sleeping, man," I tell him as I pick up my phone to see the time. "Shit! It's barely seven, you fucktard!" I curse him. "Why did you wake me up at this ungodly hour?"

A goofy smile appears on his face, making me wonder if he took a baseball to the head to be grinning like that. As if he can hear me think, he shakes his head. "I'm not insane, man. I've just found my soul mate."

I roll my eyes at his response.

There's romantic and then there's clueless asshole. And surprise, surprise! I had to get stuck with the later type as my best friend. "Jazz, we'll talk later, ok, buddy?" I say, trying to soften the blow. "We'll talk after I get home from work."

"You're no fun," he says with a pout.

Yes, Jasper Whitlock, the new cartoonist for The Seattle Times, pouts.

Giving up, I say exasperatedly, "Man, I'm not feeling up to listening to you praising the shit that comes out of Maria Sanchez's asshole right now."

He reaches out to smack the back of my head, making me give up and wake up fully. "It's not Maria," he confesses. "I can have soul mates who is not that bitch."

I blink and allow him to tell me all about the Tampon Girl. When he's done, I forget about my whining and congratulate him, hoping that my best friend doesn't lose in the game of love once again.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"You have a little ketchup on your mouth," Bella says before leaning closer to me. I expect to feel her dab a napkin on my mouth to wipe it off, but instead, I feel her lips on mine—soft and delicious as ever.

I groan as she pulls away, and she giggles a little at the sad expression on my face. "You've only taken me out on one date, mister," she tells me, playfully waggling a finger on my face. "Don't expect me to put out already."

Her words make me pull back in shock. "Baby, you're so much more to me than that," I say with complete sincerity.

The smile that graces her face is a sweet one. "I know," she replies, putting an arm across my shoulder and threading her fingers in my hair. "The feeling is mutual, Mr. Cullen."

I can't help but smile back when she says things like that. And that's when she says it. "Are you free tonight? We can have a mid-week date tonight."

"That sounds great," I reply.

"Cool," she says before adding as an afterthought, "I get to decide what we'll do tonight though."

Loving the playfulness of the moment, I ask her, "So bossy! Are you usually this stubborn?"

"No," she answers, shaking her head. "Only when you're concerned."

Those words, spoken by my beautiful girl makes me give in. Of course they do. "Alright, beautiful. What's the plan then?"

She winks at me and kisses me softly once more before standing up. "For now, the plan is for you to come and pick me up from my place at seven tonight."

_Wait. Did she just say ...?_

She must notice the dumbfounded expression on my face as if I've been hit by a lightning bolt because she smiles at me. And her smile says it all.

_She trusts me. She thinks I'm someone worth giving a chance. And maybe there's a future for us after all._

**A/N: So ... thoughts? PLPB is turning out to be quite the charmer, isn't he?**

**Share your thoughts with me, and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	40. Chapter-40: Career

**A/N: I'm so sorry for not posting yesterday, but I promise to get TWO updates to you. :)**

**Dream#1**

**Chapter-40: Career**

**Word Prompt: **Career

**Scenario: **Just when you didn't think it could get any worse...

Complete the scenario in any way, in any style, and for any word count. Open your mind and follow where it leads, writing as you go.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Ready for the biggest case of your careers?" Eleazar asks the room at large as he strides in. This morning, he doesn't fail to look his part—he looks every bit of the Director of the Organized Crime Division wearing his suit and crisp white shirt.

"Yo, Boss! Looking sharp," Emmett greets him with a cheeky wink.

Eleazar smiles at his silliness, and then turns to face all of us. "If you have been waiting for the opportune moment to make your mark in the FBI history, this is it," he says seriously.

From beside me, Kora asks, "Which one is it?" Her voice, as always drips with boredom, as she wants to know which of the three big mobs in the Washington area this case is about.

"ACM Brotherhood."

As soon as the words are out of his mouth, there's visible change in everyone's postures. Alice stops trying to bite off papers and spitting them out so that they hit Em on the back of his head. Em rests his phone on the desk and looks at Eleazer. Hell, even Stoner Mike stops snoozing away and allows his eyes to remain open for one whole minute.

Satisfied with the reaction his sudden announcement garners, Eleazar flicks a switch to turn on the big-ass projector screen behind him, and we get our first look at the leader of the mob, Aro.

Motioning to the screen with his hand, Eleazar continues. "This is Aro. He's the leader of the ACM Brotherhood. The first thing you need to know about this man is that he's very selective of who he allows in his gang. That's why they call it brotherhood."

My inner-dork raises its head as I recall reading about this guy while I was still in Narcotics. "They require each entrant to willingly take a blood oath before allowing him in their actual circles. That's why they call themselves brothers," I explain for the benefit of others. "From the moment the oath is taken, he's accepted as one of their own blood brothers."

For a moment, I enjoy the look of awe mixed with disgust on peoples' faces as my words of wisdom register on their minds. And then Emmett opens his pie-hole.

"Dude looks like a parchment or a roll of paper," he remarks loudly. Tilting his head to the side, he looks at the picture of the ashen-faced man and says, "Or maybe a piece of paper. I think his face look too much like a rat's to be a full roll of paper."

From the corner of my eyes, I see Eleazar shake his head at Em's antics, and I silently thank my lucky stars that Alice was keeping quiet for a change and not joining in with him on this ridiculous face-guessing game.

However, my lucky stars mustn't have been all that lucky after all. Because just when I think that it can't get any worse, it does … because Alice Brandon has to get her two cents in.

"He kinda looks constipated to me," she says thoughtfully. "Oooh! I've got it." The excitement is very distinguishable in her voice, and I'm ready to cringe at whatever the fuck she's going to spew out of her mouth.

And then she giggles before pointing at the picture. "He looks like a roll of toilet paper, Em!" she exclaims and grins at Emmett. "His skin is pasty white, and he looks like he's got poop stuck in his asshole."

Em, ever the obnoxious one, lets out a whoop of agreement and gives her an air-high-five from across the table. "Good one, Brandon."

That's when I can't control myself anymore. I let out a loud snort followed by a full on laughter.

_Hey! You can't blame a girl for laughing at a good joke!_

Apparently, I say those words out loud because Eleazar rolls his eyes and says, "All right, Comedy Circus, we've got work to do. I need every bit of dirt you can get on the toilet paper by the end of tomorrow. Any questions?"

We all shake our heads and prepare to get out of the conference room when Mike opens his hazy eyes and says, "I've got a question."

"What is it, Agent Newton?"

"Does anyone know what happened to the toilet paper in the second floor bathroom? I couldn't find any this morning."

What do you answer to that?

**A/N: What do you think? Mike is the real comedian, isn't he? ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you in a few hours.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	41. Chapter-41: Drop, Crop, Prop

**A/N: Without further ado, I give you dream#2 for tonight.**

**Chapter-41: Drop, Crop, Prop**

**Word Prompts: ** Drop, crop, prop

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"I don't know what to do with those two," she says, recounting her cousin and her best friend's antics while running her hand through my hair, possibly making it look more unruly.

I feel a silly smile stretch across my face at the feeling. "Just keep on doing that, beautiful."

She giggles, tugging on my hair a little before trying to move away from me. I don't let her move away though. I quickly wind my arms around her waist to keep her in place and then drop my head back on her lap. "No moving my pillow."

I can detect the smile in her voice as she asks, "So I'm your pillow now?"

"No, you're so much more, Bella," I reply, silently adding that she's becoming everything to me.

The sound of a soft sigh escapes her ... a happy sigh. I see her look up at the night sky and smile. "This is amazing, isn't it?"

I glance up at the starry night sky stretching above us like a blanket dotted with light as we lie in the open field. I still can't believe that she planned a picnic for our date. But then again, my Bella is anything but predictable.

Here, like this, it feels like we're the only ones in the world.

"How did you find this place?" I ask her.

"I was out here to go hiking with my dad when I was a teenager. I got lost and ended up here. The beauty of this place made me forget about the fear and helped me think with a clear head. This has been my happy place since then."

"Just yours?" I need to clarify.

She hums in assent. "I never shared this place with anyone before tonight. Sharing it with anyone else felt like cutting off some of the beauty of this place," she tells me, waving her hands as she tries to explain herself. "You know, like cropping a beautiful picture and adding a high-rise in the middle of it?"

"You brought me here for our date tonight though," I can't help but point out.

She nods and leans down to brush a kiss on my head. "It's different with you."

"How?"

"Because, I trust you." Those words, spoken by this amazingly beautiful woman, makes my heart soar.

I prop myself up on one arm and meet her gaze. "Thank you, baby," I say to her, making a faint blush rise to her cheeks. "This is beautiful. _You_'re beautiful."

Her blush brightens, and I feel the heat of her skin reach mine—sending waves of warmth through me.

She smiles down at me. "You make me feel beautiful," she says before kissing my jaw.

Tightening my arms around her, I pull her to me and then bring our lips together. It feels like a spark's been ignited, and our lips meet again and again.

It's heaven and hell all rolled into one.

She grazes my lips with her teeth, pulling it into her mouth and sucking softly. _Fuck! How can she be so sexy?_

I let my hands slide down her sides, needing to hold her closer to me. As my thumbs pass the sides of her breasts, Bella lets out a soft moan, making my dick harder.

"Shit!" She whimpers in my ear as I hold her against me, allowing the both of us to feel each other for a moment ... only a moment before I pull her face to mine for one last kiss and then carefully set her down on the ground next to me.

For a long moment, we're both quiet, trying to control our breathings. When she doesn't say anything, I turn on my side to face her.

Her big chocolate brown eyes look back at me.

"Bella, baby, I'm sorry, but …"

She stops my apology by putting a finger on my lips. "I know. I want you too, Edward. I can't deny it anymore," she says quietly. "But I know our first time's gonna be fiery with passion and I think we should wait till we're in closer proximity to a fire safety kit."

Her words make me laugh, and then, I wrap my arms around my beautiful girl.

Holding her, being with her is enough … for now.

**A/N: So thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	42. Chapter-42: Transfer

**A/N: Thank you for the love you've shown this little dream of mine. I have the best readers. :***

**Happy Reading. :)**

**Chapter-42: Transfer**

**Word Prompt: **Transfer

**Plot Generator—Phrase Catch: **Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I grab a paper cup and top it off with the watery shit the FBI call coffee from the machine as Alice keeps chatting my ears off.

"So he's just got transferred from Texas," she says, dunking four sugar cubes in her coffee. "Did you know there was a Texas branch of the Times? Of course they're called Daily Times back there."

Rolling my eyes at her ever present exuberance, I reply, "No, I didn't know about that, but I do know something."

"What's that?"

She looks eager for the info I'm about dish out, and I feel bad for doing this … for maybe a fragment of a nanosecond. But hey! I had to sit through her and Emmett's bickering about toilet papers so she sort of has this coming.

With a face that can rival Dalai Lama's when he's about to preach his most cherished piece of knowledge, I say, "I know that what you're drinking isn't coffee. Whatever the fuck it is, it cannot be coffee. Or maybe it's coffee for potheads."

Her mouth remains open for a long moment as she just stares at me, and then she gives me the patented Alice Brandon death glare. "_That's_ what you have to say?"

"What?" I bat my eyelashes at her, feigning innocence. "I read it in a paper about potheads that they tend to take more sugar because the pot desensitizes their taste buds."

"Whatever, Swan! You're such a bitch!"

I let go of my façade and throw an arm around her shoulders. "You love me, admit it, Brandon—bitchiness and all."

Her face is expressionless as she contradicts me. "You're wrong." And then she's grinning from ear to ear. "I love the Bitchy Bell more."

Laughing, I bump my shoulder with hers. "Did you ask the Tampon-Blocking-Straw-Hat out?"

She giggles at my name calling and winks at me. "I might have done something like that."

She stops to take a sip of the Pothead's Concoction before asking me, "So how'd it go with Pretty Boy last night?"

I lean against the counter beside her, taking a sip of my coffee, and then answer her. "It was good. We're good." I feel a smile taking over my face as I remember the mini makeout session Edward and I had enjoyed the night before.

"He's treating you right?"

Alice's question brings me away from the memories of my handsome man and I turn my head to face her. "He makes me feel beautiful, Al. He's so much … _more_," I say, not finding the right word to describe how much he has come to mean to me in less than a month.

She returns my smile and says back, "You know what they say, Swan." When I raise an eyebrow at her in question, she continues. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And he _is_ a Pretty Boy."

"Oh you're talking about little ol' me? You shouldn't, ladies. I'm sexy and I know it." Emmett's obnoxiously loud voice interrupts our girl-talk and before I can deflect, Alice says, "Who's talking about you, TP-man?"

There's a look of pure glee on Em's face as he laughs. "That's right, Brandon. How did you guess it?"

It only takes me a moment before I catch on. "Wait! You? _You_ emptied the second floor bathroom?"

Alice answers both of our questions when she says, "Of course it was him, Bella. Didn't you see how he was practically glowing with satisfaction when Mike mentioned it?" Turning to Emmett, she asks, "Why the toilet paper though? There's so many ways to mess with Mike. I mean you can just ask him to tie his shoelaces and he'll be lost."

He pulls a face and replies, "That ass fell asleep while peeing a few days back and do you wanna know what happened? That fucker peed on the fucking toilet paper. Or better yet, he brush-fired pee on the damn toilet papers."

"Gross!" Alice and I both exclaim at the same time.

A mischievous smile takes over his face as he says, "I had help with Mission De-TP Newton though."

"Who?"

With a proud smile, he answers me. "Eleazar."

Alice and I both break into giggle-snorts at this point. Emmett waits for us to calm down before saying seriously, "Now that I've shared my secret with you two, spill."

"Ugh! I swear you'd made the meanest Gossip Girl," Alice whines a little before looking at me.

_What the hell,_ I think and then say with a shrug, "We were talking about boys when you walked in."

Instead of pretending to gag, like I expected him to, Em nods. "I heard something _pretty_ has caught your eyes, sis. So I think it's time I meet him."

I open my mouth to protest, but he shuts me up with logic for once. "Better me than Uncle Charlie, kiddo."

That, I cannot deny. So I nod and say, "Fine. But I get to meet your new girl too, big brother. No more hiding her."

"No more hiding," he agrees with me and turns to leave—only to stop in midstride. He turns and looks at Alice before saying, "That means you too, young lady. Bring your Straw Hat over to meet the TP-man."

"How the fuck does he know about that?"

I don't try to even answer Alice's question as I try to imagine my Pretty Boy in the same room with the Tampon-Blocker and TP-man.

_Gods in heaven, help us!_

**A/N: That solves the TP mystery.**

**So thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Since tomorrow is Monday, I'll see you on Tuesday.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	43. Chapter-43: Yarn

**A/N: Hey, guys! It's the first day of a new year in my country. So happy new year, or as we say it, Shuvo Noboborsho!**

**Chapter-43: Yarn**

**Word Prompt: **Yarn

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Skeletons in my closet?" I ask her, just to make sure I've understood her right.

"Yes, little brother." Rose confirms that I heard her right the first time around with a nod. "If you really like this girl, you need to tell her about the skeletons in your closet. That's how you build up a trusting relationship."

"There is absolutely no skeleton in my closet," I counter her, sticking my nose up in the air.

She rolls her eyes at me. "Yeah, and I can shit a ball of yarn to knit a sweater any time I want to. You're spending way too much time with Cheney. You're turning into a drama queen."

"Hey! I detest that statement!" Ben pipes up from the other side of the room.

"Shut it, four-eyes, I'm right and you know it," she says before turning back to me. "Edward, you should tell her about Tanya. That bitch is crazy and who knows what she might cook up to ruin your chances with this girl if she finds out you're moving on."

Her words seem to have some merit. So I nod.

_Maybe I need to tell Bella about all of me if I want her to be here for the long haul … and God knows that's what I'm aiming for._

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"So she was a client?" Bella asks after I've unloaded all the gory details of my relationship with Tanya-bitchbrow-Denali.

I try to avoid looking at her as she takes a bite of her ice cream and nod. "In the beginning, she was, but after she asked me out, I told her to get another architect. I don't mix my personal and professional lives."

She leans forward and places a quick kiss on my lips, giving me a sweet taste of chocolate mixed with Bella. "My boyfriend is such a gentleman," she says as she sits back.

I'm startled at her words. "What did you say?" My voice is a barely-audible whisper because I can't believe that this amazingly beautiful girl wants me to be hers.

A teasing smile curls her lips upwards. She licks at the ice cream, making me suppress a groan.

_Fuck! How can she make eating look so damn sexy?_

She grins like she knows what I'm thinking as she replies me, "I called you a gentleman."

"Before that?" I prompt her.

Of course Katarina has to butt-in on our moment and yell louder than a fucking bell, "Oh for God's sake, you two! You're dating now. And _that_, genius, makes you her boyfriend."

Bella scowls at her friend and mutters, "Way to ruin the moment, Kate."

The older woman lets out a giggle-snort at that. "Oh you two have moments all the time. Get over it."

I decide to stop them before it comes down to something I don't have a hope of surviving and take Bella's hand in mine. "Is she right, beautiful? Do you want me to be your boyfriend?"

She looks thoughtful as she speaks. "Well, you are a boy … obviously, and we do hang out a lot. But I don't want you to be just my friend. So yes, Edward Cullen, you're my boyfriend."

The smile that takes over my face is giddy and so is my heart. I lift her hand to my lips and press a kiss on her palm. "I'm honored, Ms. Swan."

"See? There ya go! You have your moment again."

"Kate," Bella calls her, standing up and pulling me with her.

"What?" Katarina asks.

"I like you as a friend. So shut it," she says with a smile on her face, letting her friend know that she was joking … mostly.

Then she leads me out of the café and to the place where our cars are parked. "So now that you're my boyfriend, I have something to ask of you," she says, leaning against my car.

I lean in, pinning her to the car and letting my lips ghost along the shell of her ear. "Anything you need, baby."

She runs her hand through my hair, making me feel this heady sense of belonging before saying, "My cousin wants to meet you officially. So we kinda have to go on a dinner with him and Alice this Friday."

Before my mind can come up with an answer to that, her lips are on mine, kissing me and letting me taste the sweetness that's all her with hint of her chocolate ice cream. And that's when I know that I'm a goner.

_But what a great way to go …_

**A/N: Thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**I'd like to let you know that a blog named EBOOK-TREES has STOLEN three of my fics along with some other writers' from AO3 and Wattpad. They're asking people to sign up in order to download the fics, and to sign up, you have to pay. So essentially, they're SELLING the fics I've written to offer fellow TwiHards for free. I thought I'd let you know that I'd NEVER ask for you to pay to read my stuff. That's all.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	44. Chapter-44: Insulate

**A/N: Hi! The way you guys support me, makes me feel humbled and so much loved. Thank you. :***

**Ready for a new dream?**

**Chapter-44: Insulate**

**Word Prompt: **Insulate

**Dialogue Flex: **"I'm second-guessing my decision."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

What starts as a means of getting Edward to agree to go to the dinner with me quickly escalates, and it's not long before we're both breathing heavily. I break the kiss and when he comes back for one more, I regretfully put a hand on his chest to stop him.

"Edward, baby, we can't," I plead with him, my voice sounding like a cross between asphyxiated and breathy.

He peppers little kisses on my jaw as he asks, "Why not?"

"Because I don't fancy having my dad meet you for the first time when we're in lock up for indecent public exposure."

Letting out a frustrated groan, he drops his forehead on my shoulder, letting his lips touch the side of my neck as he speaks. "I wish we could have more time than the lunch hour."

His words hit me with the realization that we do need some alone time—away from the prying eyes and ears of people and to just be us.

"Hey," I say, tugging on his hair lightly to make him meet my eyes. "Do you want to come over at my place tonight? I can cook for us."

His face lights up for a moment before a little pout forms, jutting his lower lip out just a little in an adorable way. "I don't want to share you with Alice tonight," he says.

"You won't have to. She's going out on a date tonight."

My answer transforms the pout into a beautiful smile, and I melt just a little bit on the inside thinking about how much he wants to be around me.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Alice puts on her favorite electric blue lipstick and puckers her lips up, looking at the mirror.

"You sure you want to wear that one tonight?" I ask, leaning against the doorframe as I watch her flutter around her room and getting ready to meet the Tampon-blocker.

She lets out a very un-Alice-like snort. "Please! My tampon-hunting didn't put him off, Swan. I doubt he'll be scared by the blue lips."

I nod in understanding. "I get it. You want to show him the real you, tampon-grabbing and eclectic accessories and all. That's what I'd do with Edward."

"That's what you _are_ doing with Edward, girl," she says, finishing off her makeup with a brush of mascara on her eyelashes. "You seem really happy with him."

I cannot help but smile. "He does make me happy, Alice. When I'm with him, it's like we're in an insulated bubble and nothing bad can ever come between us."

She puts down her makeup and walks up to me. Giving me a side-hug, she matches my smile. "Your pretty boy sounds like he's a charmer."

"He is," I agree. "I hope Tampon-blocker turns out to be one too."

She laughs at the name and flits through the apartment when she looks at the time. "Shit! He's gonna be here any moment."

As if on cue, our doorbell rings and she rushes off to open it like a bullet out of a gun.

"Alice, slow down, or you'll break your neck," I call out as I walk to the door to say goodbye to her.

When I get there, I find her locked in an embrace with a blond man who smiles at me, tipping an imaginary hat. "Straw Hat, I presume?" I ask, greeting him politely.

He nods. "And you must be Alice's roommate."

"Unfortunately." My response makes Alice roll her eyes, and she starts pushing her date out of the door. "C'mon, or we'll be late for the movie," she says, tugging on his arm.

I send up a quick prayer for the poor soul that's getting tangled with the mad ball of energy who happens to be my best friend.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I'm in the middle of making my perfect pasta sauce when the doorbell rings. Like a responsible adult, I dim the heat of the stove and then go to open the door.

The moment the door opens to reveal my date for the night, however, all my responsible adult crap flies out of the window. Instead of greeting him and inviting him inside my home, I channel my inner hormonal teenager and just about tackle him right there in the hallway.

"Hmm …" he hums softly as he lets his hands glide over my sides and then wraps them around my waist to pull me to his chest. "You seem happy to see me, beautiful."

I press myself further into his embrace, feeling him getting hard against my stomach, and I let out a completely hussy-like moan. "Likewise, boyfriend. You seem _very_ happy to see me."

As if I've electrocuted him, he moves away from me, effectively separating our lower halves. "I'm already second-guessing my decision, baby. Don't make me regret it."

My eyebrows pull upwards. "What decision?"

_Doesn't he want to be here with me?_

_Is he regretting us putting a label on it?_

He stops my worrisome train of thoughts as he says, "The decision of being with you here … all alone. I don't know if I'll be able to control myself when you kiss me like this, Bella."

His words make butterflies take flight in my belly, and I entwine my arms around his neck, pulling his face closer to mine. "Who said that you need to control yourself? We can lose control … just a little bit."

"Fuck!" he curses, and I smile.

_This is gonna be an interesting night._

**A/N: So …? Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**On a happier note, that website took my fics down after I sent them a formal notice of complaint. So yay! Enjoy my craziness for free. :)**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	45. Chapter-45: Wise

**A/N: Ready for another dream?**

**Chapter-45: Wise**

**Word Prompt: **Wise

**Plot Generator—Idea Completion: **Tell it like it is.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

After a delicious dinner made by my girl, I find myself sitting at her couch while she hunts down a movie for us to watch.

Once the movie is put on play, she takes a seat next to me, leaning into my side a little. Now, the wise thing for me to do would have been cuddling her to my side and enjoying the movie.

However, I'm anything but wise when it comes to this amazing woman. So, instead of keeping my hands to myself, I let them wander. And of course they end up on her arms, pulling her to my chest.

"Mmm …" she lets out a sexy hum as she relaxes into me and turns her face to mine. The slight pucker of her lips calls out to me. I slowly let go of her arms and take her face in my hands. "I'm so damn lucky," I whisper.

A smile pulls at her lips as she looks into my eyes and asks, "And why is that, baby?"

"Because I have the most beautiful girl in the world as my girlfriend."

My words make her cheeks heat up and a light pink hue spreads though her skin, making her look even more beautiful if that's even possible.

I don't try to resist anymore. Instead, I brush my lips against hers. She lets her hands travel upward from her lap and soon, they're wrapped around my neck, holding me to her as I revel in the feeling of kissing my girl.

_My girl._

A rush of excitement passes through me as I think of her as mine. She licks my lips before nibbling lightly on them, making me open up for her. The moment our tongues meet, I feel like I can hear violins play in the background like those cheesy as fuck chick flicks. But I really don't care because with Bella almost on my lap and sucking on my tongue, I think I can die a happy man.

Soon, however, the need to breathe tries to interrupt our kiss so I move my lips from hers and let them go downwards, following her neck. She moves her head to the side for a moment. With her eyes closed and breath coming out in small gasps, she's the vision of sexiness.

And then it changes.

Suddenly she pushes on my chest, making me fall flat on the couch, and then she's straddling me. She almost lies down on me, bringing our lips together again. Her boldness gives me the courage to nudge the neckline of her T-shirt with my nose and to allow my lips a taste of the soft skin directly over her heart.

"Wait," she says before sitting up and unbuttoning my shirt. She pushes the sides away to expose my chest and then reaches for the hem of her T-shirt. She looks right into my eyes for a moment before pulling on the hem, lifting the shirt up and over her head.

And yeah, that sight right there is the sexiest thing I can remember seeing.

My hands reach for her blue lace covered breasts, and she lets out a soft moan at the first contact. Emboldened by her response, I pull down the cups and allow myself the first look at her perfectness.

_Fuck!_

The way her nipples respond to my touch makes me greedy, and I cannot resist the urge to kiss them. One kiss leads to another and then another before I abandon trying to resist altogether and pull one of her nipples into my mouth.

"Holy fuck!" she cries out as I suck on her nipple, arching her back to let me take more of her in my mouth. "Your mouth feels perfect, baby," she tells me, and I smile against her skin.

After a few moments, she squirms and moves a little downward … probably seeking some friction.

Of course my dick is rearing to go and saluting her in six different languages by this point. So the moment I feel her hot and unfortunately covered pussy rub against me through my jeans, a groan escapes me. "Shit! You're so fucking sexy, baby," my mouth spews out before I can think of shutting up.

The sound of a giggle breaks through the haze of pure lust I'm trapped into as she wiggles a little, creating delicious friction between us. "I can so tell that you're not gay right now," she says.

_Trust my girl to tell it like it is._

"I'll show you not gay," I reply, pulling her to me and letting our chests touch.

She kisses my chest softly before letting her head rest on my chest. "I look forward to that day then."

To save us from temptation, I help her pull her clothes back on and re-button my shirt before pulling her to me again.

When we're lying on the couch with me spooning her from behind, I notice the end credits rolling on the movie.

_Well, you win some and you lose some. And to me, a fuck-hot make out session with my girl is a win alright._

**A/N: So … anyone else need a cold shower?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	46. Chapter-46: Stretch

**A/N: Enjoy!**

**Chapter-46: Stretch**

**Word Prompt: **Stretch

**Audio-Visual Challenge—Musical Mastery: **"Style" by Taylor Swift

Listen to the sample, then write whatever comes to you first.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The incessant buzzing of my cell phone pulls me out of my sleep and I curse the fucktard who invented cell phones as I reach for the irritating device.

One missed call from Pretty Boy.

Groaning, I dial his number. He picks up at the first ring, his voice sounding lemony fresh. "Hey, beautiful."

I crank one eye open to check the clock and then reply to him. "You know how pretty your face is, don't you?"

He sounds confused as he says, "Yeah …"

"Then this better be good because you just woke me up at one thirty in the morning, and I don't want to bruise that pretty face up."

He starts laughing at my words but when he realizes that I'm not laughing along with him, his voice drops a few octaves. "Shit! You're not kidding."

"Afraid not," I say, stretching a little before sitting up on my bed. "What is it, Edward? Is everything ok?"

"Yeah … I uh … I just …" he trails off, sounding unsure.

That gets me to wake up fully. "Edward?" I call his name softly.

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong, baby?"

The changed tone of my voice must give him the green light to speak because he says quietly, "I was missing you so I kinda wanted to see you."

A smile slowly stretches on my face, leaving me feeling warm and fuzzy on the inside. "You just left my place three hours ago," I say to him.

"Three hours is a long time," he replies, his voice making me wish I could hug him right now. "I couldn't sleep."

"So what's the plan then?"

There's silence on the other side before he says, "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Sleep with me, or _sleep_ with me?" I'm only half teasing because I want clarification as well.

"Just sleep, I promise." His response is quick. "I just want to hold you in my arms."

How can a girl not melt at hearing that? Answer: she melts. She melts into a big puddle of goo. So do I.

Keeping my voice soft so as not to let him know how much I liked the idea, I tell him, "Fine. You can come over."

"Umm …"

His hesitation makes me narrow my eyes. "Edward?"

"Can you open your front door please?"

Gasping, I get out of bed and quickly go to open the door. And sure enough, there stands my Prince Charming with a sexy as fuck smile on his face. "Hello," he greets me cheerfully.

I shake my head at the beautiful man standing in my doorstep. "Are you crazy?" I ask.

He scrunches up his face in a thoughtful look before shrugging. "I think I may be … just a little bit," he says. "Is that ok with you?"

I can't fight the smile anymore and I nod as I pull him inside. "As long as we can be crazy together, I'm ok with it."

That night, I sleep wrapped up in Edward's arms. He keeps his promise and doesn't try anything beyond stealing a few kisses from me.

Right before falling back to sleep, I realize that I could really get used to this.

_Was this falling? I had no idea, but if it was, I didn't want this feeling to stop. Ever._

**A/N: It's short, I know. But I try to stay true to the "flash fic" point every now and then. ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	47. Chapter-47: Seethe

**A/N: Shall we see what's up with PLPBward?**

**Chapter-47: Seethe**

**Word Prompt: **Seethe

**Dialogue Flex: **"I like when we work together."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The sound of an obnoxious whistle greets me as soon as I step foot in the office and I cringe a little.

_Fucking hell!_

I try to make a quick exit to my office when I find my path blocked by my idiot best friend. "Someone took their time getting ready this morning," Ben remarks with a lecherous look on his face. Putting a hand on his heart, he pretends to swoon. "Oh my! Eddie, did you dress up all nice and shiny just for me? I'm so …"

I hold a hand up to cover his big-ass mouth with it. "Don't you fucking finish that sentence, Cheney, or you'll find yourself out of a job before lunch hour rolls by."

"Pfft. Like you can live without some of my Benny love," he says, waving my hand away and strolling into my office like he owns the fucking place. "You know I like when we work together." He bats his eyelashes at me.

_What the fuck?_

Not really looking forward to listening to his prissy ass first thing in the morning when I could've been sleeping in Bella's extremely comfortable bed and waking her up in a number of creative ways, I feel like I'm ready to seethe. "What the fuck, Ben? Why are you acting so …"

"Gay?" he finishes for me.

_How kind of him! Not._

"Yes!"

He taps his chin, putting on his Malcolm X face. "Hmm … let me see … because I heard you this morning? I thought this will get you to step out of the proverbial closet."

"What closet? What the hell did you hear to make you act like this?" I'm quickly reaching my wit's end with his horsing around.

"Dude, you can give up the pretense," he tells me with a mile long smile. "I _know_. I _heard _you remember?" He keeps looking at me like it should mean something to me, and the only thing I can think of is that his bugged out eyes seen through his glasses looks magnified—like a grasshoppers.

For the next few moments, I try to think of whatever the hell can make him act like this, but I don't seem to think of anything.

Feeling frustrated at his giggling and eye-widening, I scowl at him. "Great. Well, when you feel like it, feel free to clue me in."

He frowns and says, "I heard you moan Jasper's name when I called him this morning, man. You don't need to hide it anymore. I know something was bound to happen sooner or later between you two."

I'm pretty sure my jaw just about hit the floor at his comment when he adds, "On the bright side, you two are already living together."

I gag and rush to my en suit bathroom to throw up.

God must really hate me, or I must've done some really shady shit in my past life because Ben doesn't seem bothered by the fact that he has now followed me to my bathroom. "He didn't get you preggo already, did he?" he asks me sympathetically. "You did see that article about the preggo dude a few years back, right?"

Taking a deep breath, I turn to face the asshole who's about to lose the title of my best friend. "Cheney, if you value your life, you'll get the fuck out of here. You don't follow another guy to the freaking bathroom, you asshole!"

He quickly scrambles out of my way and looks like he's preparing to say something, but I'm on a roll. So I shut him up and continue talking. "I love pussies, ok? Fuck! I even dream of Bella's pussy sometimes. So don't even think of me anywhere near Jasper's dick. That's just … _wrong_. And for your information, I spent the night with Bella, my _girl_friend because Jasper had a girl over." I stress the word _girl_ when letting him know about Bella and my relationship.

There's a long moment of silence before he looks at my cloths and raises an eyebrow in question.

"Dude! I do like to dress well occasionally," I say defensively. "I can't always dress like a hobo at work."

He snorts at that and keeps the questioning look firmly planted on that stupid face of his.

When I can't deal with it anymore, I spill the beans—like he knew I would. "Fine. I've got to go to dinner with Bella's family tonight. So I thought …" I trail off, feeling like a moron.

Surprisingly enough, he doesn't laugh at me. Instead, he gives me a nod. "Sorry, man."

His apology calms me down, and I let out a sigh of relief. "We're cool, man."

He starts walking out of the room, but after taking two steps, he stops and turns back to look at me. "Just promise me that if you ever go gay, you'll give me a piece of that sweet ass before letting Jasper have a go at it."

"CHENEY!" The sound of my growl is answered by his guffaws as he escapes my fist … for now.

**A/N: So … what do you think?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	48. Chapter-48: Tax, Lax, Wax

**A/N: Happy reading!**

**Chapter-48: Tax, Lax, Wax**

**Word Prompts: ** Tax, lax, wax

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

**Getting to the office, I find the whole place in chaos. Alice walks in behind me and stops in her tracks with a soft exclamation of ****_whoa_****.**

**"****I'd say we've either been out of this place for more than a few hours or the pressure of finding Aro's shit-list has been so taxing that we've lost track of time," she says in a loud whisper to no one in particular.**

**Kora chooses that moment to show up and starts pushing us toward the conference hall. "Finally, you're here. Eleazar has been waiting forever for you to show up."**

**Rolling my eyes at her, I mouth to Alice, "****_Dramatic much?_****" making her laugh loudly.**

**"****Please try to be serious for a change," Kora says sarcastically as she opens the door. "If that's even possible for you."**

**Alice scowls at the back of her head and asks me, "What the fuck is her problem? She's being uncharacteristically bitchy today ... even for herself. You don't think we've been lax at doing our job, do you, Bell?"**

**"****Nah, I don't," I reply, bumping my shoulder with hers. "Maybe she woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Ignore her, Al."**

**"****More like fell down on her fat ass from the bed," she mutters loud enough for me to hear before shutting up.**

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

**This time, there's no dramatic entrance from Eleazar as he joins the rest of us in the conference room. And for once in his life, Emmett actually shuts up and listens to what is being said.**

**"****So to conclude this briefing session," Eleazar says, stopping only long enough to give each of us a hard look. "The next few days starting from Monday is gonna be hectic to say the least. With the intel we've gathered—thanks to Agent Symonds's sources—I think we might be one step closer to busting this cartel." He gives Kora a sharp nod of acknowledgement, and suddenly it clicks to me why she was being to hell-bent on not letting us ruin this briefing. It's her moment to shine, it seems.**

**As we're about to make our exit, Em catches up to us. "Hey Brandon, what do you call a roll of toilet paper's brothers?" he asks, referring to the news we've just been given of two of the ACM brothers actually being Aro's siblings.**

**Alice doesn't even break her pace as she answers, "Why? Tampon and toilet seat cover, I'd say."**

**I snort at her metaphor. "Tampon? Which one are you nicknaming tampon, Al?"**

**She keeps her face perfectly nonchalant as she replies, "The guy called Caius. He's got a thin face ... perfect for being called tampon."**

**Emmett lets out a loud guffaw and pretends to wipe off a teardrop from the corner of his eye. "I'm so damn proud of the influence I have on you, sweet little Alice," he says, faking an accent that sounds a lot like Shakespearian English. "It's my pleasure to see how waxed you've become at the art of name-calling, my bug."**

**Narrowing her eyes at him, she asks, "Did you just call me a bug?"**

**Emmett quickly deflects her question and turns to me instead. "Ready to show your boy off tonight, little sister?"**

**"****Uh-huh," I say with a nod. "I'm looking forward to it ... and so is he."**

**I laugh to myself as I add the last bit because if his expression this morning was anything to go by, my pretty boy was afraid that Emmett will somehow realize that he spent last night with his hands on my boobs and chew his head off.**

**_My poor sweet boy._**

**A/N: Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you on Tuesday.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	49. Chapter-49: Clouds

**A/N: You guys are the best. Thanks for your continued support to this madness. :)**

**Chapter-49: Clouds**

**Word Prompt: **Clouds

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Hey, look at me," she says, putting a hand on my arm. Slowly, I turn my head to look at my beautiful girl, and she smiles at me.

"Everything's gonna be perfect. Emmett is like more my big brother than cousin. He looks tough and everything, but he's a big softie inside. He'll love you," she says, sounding like she's trying to convince herself as much as me.

I raise an eyebrow at her. "He'll _love_ me? You know I'm not into dudes, beautiful …"

She slaps my chest lightly to shut me up on the inappropriate joke. "I was trying to be soothing, you know?" she asks, putting a hand on her hip in faux annoyance. "If you want the blatant truth then he'll like you … as in not pull a gun out the moment he sees you."

I gulp down the whine threatening to escape me and ask her for what feels like the hundredth time, "Did you tell him about my sleeping in your room last night? Does he have your place under surveillance? Oh fuck! Bella, I swear, my hand slipped from your waist and ended up on your boobs last night. Gravity, you know?"

A small giggle—that's what she gives me in answer before putting her arms around my neck and pulling me in for a kiss. "Stop worrying," she whispers in my ear. "What happened last night is just between the two of us—like it should be. And I really don't mind that after slipping, you hand moved _up_wards instead of down."

Nodding, I kiss my girl again because no matter what happens with her cousin, I think she'll keep me around … purely due to my gravity-defying hand slipping actions though.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Welcome to Chicken Dance Dining Hall," a cheerful host greets us as I hold the door open for Bella.

My beautiful girl smiles back and takes my hand. "Thank you. We're reserved under McCarty, party of six."

He checks the folder in his hands and nods. "Right this way, please. Two of your party has already arrived."

_Phew! Thank fuck,_ I thank my lucky stars._ It would've made a bad impression if we were the last ones._

When the host points to the table, I see Bella's scary best friend already seated there with a blond guy. "Maybe we should wait till your cousin shows up?" I offer, not really wanting to approach the crazy and mean-drunk best friend without the cover of a guardian figure.

Bella glances at me. "You don't want to meet Alice? Properly, I mean?"

"Well, not to be rude or anything but … she wasn't exactly un-scary the last time I met her," I mumble.

Yeah, that chick still kinda scared me.

A smile graces my girl's lips as she tucks her hand in the crook of my arm. "She was being protective of me, baby," she tells me. "She's my best friend. Besides, Emmett's the nuttiest one of the three of us."

_How can anyone be crazier than Alice the scary buddy?_

The sweet tone of her voice and the way she calls me baby makes me feel like a daredevil as I nod. Taking a deep breath, I say, "Let's go meet her then."

Of course when we reach their table, I don't get to greet Alice because my eyes stray to the man sitting next to her, and I'm confused as fuck. "Assper? What are you doing here?"

Jasper snaps his head to the side and stares back at me with an equally confused look on his face. "Ed?" he asks, before my words register in his brain. "Fuck, dude! Don't call me _that_ in here."

_Cue the whiny ass._

"Wait, you two know each other?"

Jasper answers Alice's question in true Assper fashion. "Know?" he scoffs. "Babe, I've seen him crap his pants more times than I can count."

_The fuck?_

"Dude, shut up now, or I'll tell about your Poo-pants incident," I warn him.

"You wouldn't dare," he says, standing up.

We're both channeling our inner alpha male jerk-brows (because dudes don't have bitch-brows) when a loud voice asks from behind us, "Poo-pants? Sounds like you two would do good if you joined the TP-man."

I turn around to tear whoever the hell interrupted us a new one, but before I can do so, my eyes land on the woman standing next to the beefy guy. "Rose?"

"Edward? What're you doing here?"

I don't even try to answer her. Instead, I turn to Bella and say in my loud as fuck voice, "You never told me your cousin was a drag."

"Excuse me?" a chorus of the words sound and I just about die.

_Fuck! Way to get on the cousin's shit-list because of a sad case of verbal diarrhea._

For an instant, I consider running away like a cartoon character, leaving a cloud of dust in my wake as I run screaming like a banshee and make an Edward-shaped hole on the restaurant's main entrance as I go.

But because I'm Edward Cullen who happens to have the worst luck ever, I feel the drag cousin's meaty hand grasping on my shoulder as he says, "Boy, we gotta talk."

_Shit!_

**A/N: So … thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review. :D**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	50. Chapter-50: Awning

**A/N: Sorry I was a fail last night. I got home real late from school and couldn't keep my eyes open to write. But you'll get TWO chapters today. :)**

**Chapter-50: Awning**

**Word Prompt: **Awning

**Plot Generator—Binding Blurb:** In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about **growing old gracefully.**

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I'm sure my mouth has almost reached the floor by the time Em finishes giving Edward his mean-guy glare and asks, "So why exactly do you think I'm a drag?"

Edward blinks rapidly as he looks from him to the pretty blonde standing next to Emmett and back. "I uh … Because you're with my sister?" It sounds more like a question than an answer.

Finally, it all clicks in place for me as I remember him complaining about his sister going out with a drag.

_But why on earth does he think that Em's a drag?_

His sister holds out her hand to me. "Hi, I'm Rosalie," she says. "This idiot's sister."

I shake her hand and return her smile. "He happens to be my idiot, actually. I'm Bella."

She looks past me and gives her brother a knowing smile. "Your Mystery Girl?"

He must have nodded because her smile broadens. "She's a looker, baby bro."

Edward, who has been silent for some time now, glances at Emmett and asks slowly, "So you're not a drag?"

"Unfortunately for you, I'm not," the goof answers. "Otherwise, I'd have given your pretty mug a try." He even winks at him, making Edward's eyes widen. "So let me ask you again, why am I supposed to be a drag?"

Edward looks so uncomfortable that for a moment I want to grab him and make a run for the door to save him when he mumbles, "I heard something about you and a pink feather boa …"

Rosalie and I, who have been watching their exchange in silence as if from an awning, curse out loud at once. "Shit, Ed, that was a secret!" she says.

"Oh crap!" I say, avoiding looking at Emmett's face.

"Bells, I hate you." I chance a look at my cousin and immediately burst out laughing.

I'm still cackling like sea-hags as I say, "Sorry, Em. But you're blushing … like for real." Turning to Edward and Rosalie, I add, feeling no remorse whatsoever, "He lost a bet. So I made him wear that."

"And it was awesome." Not one to be left behind, Alice joins us with Jasper on tow and chimes her two cents in.

Emmett's head snaps up to glare at Alice and then a slow purely evil smile spreads on his face. "I remember a hobo walking into our office the other day. What did she look like?" he asks, scratching his imaginary evil goatee. "She was short and had black hair. Ring any bells, people? I think I've got a few pictures on my phone from that day …"

He doesn't get to finish his sentence because Alice launches herself on his hand to grab his phone. "Don't you fucking dare, McCarty!"

I just stand back and grin because I know no matter how old we get, we won't be the ones to grow old gracefully. Nope, this is how we're meant to be—insane and perfect.

**A/N: So that's dream#1 for you. Dream#2 will be up in a few hours.**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	51. Chapter-51: Comb

**A/N: Ready for another dream?**

**Chapter-51: Comb**

**Word Prompt: **Comb

**Dialogue Flex: **"He says he doesn't feel well."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

All throughout dinner, I try to gauge Bella's expression.

_Is she mad that I assumed her cousin to be a drag?_

_Does she look embarrassed to be here with me?_

_Does her laughter sound strained?_

_What if she breaks up with me after seeing my verbal diarrhea first hand?_

So many thoughts attack my mind that I don't hear her call my name the first time. When I feel a hand on my thigh, I almost jump out of my skin.

"Dude, that's my sister next to you, not a ghost," Emmett, Bella's big brute of a cousin who's definitely _not_ a drag, says from across the table. "Although she does a very convincing impersonation of a Banshee at times."

Alice, the mean best friend, shakes her head at him. "It hurts, Em, it literally hurts. How can you call anyone a Banshee when I'm here?"

That gets a laugh out of everyone … almost.

"Hey," Bella says, squeezing my thigh gently. "Where did you go?"

"Hmm?" _Yeah, I'm a vocal asshole now._

She smiles sweetly and raises her hand to comb through my chaotic hair with her fingers. "Edward?"

I suppress a sigh at the soft tone of her voice. _She's breaking up with me and is trying to soften the blow,_ I think to myself.

"Edward?" she calls my name again, nudging my shoulder gently with hers.

Wordlessly, I look at her and find her smiling at me. "I miss you. Come back to me?"

I frown at her. "You're not mad?"

"Mad?" She looks confused. "Mad for what?"

"For the way I embarrassed you," I mumble, looking away from her intense gaze. "I would completely understand if you don't want to be with me."

She's silent for a moment before she moves. I watch with rising confusion as she throws down her napkin on the table, takes my hand in hers and stands up. She addresses everyone in our party at once, "I'm sorry, people, but we need to leave."

Emmett pulls a face at that and says, "Damn, Bells. You're my little sister for this chicken drumstick's sake!" He holds up a drumstick in his hand. "I don't want to know if you're gonna do the dirty with your pretty boy here."

Bella narrows her eyes at him. "Get your head out of the gutter, big brother," she says with a scoff. "It's for Edward. He says he doesn't feel well. So I'm leaving with him."

_Wait. Did I say that? I don't remember saying that …_

I feel like a confused fucker as I stand up when she tugs on my hand. "It was nice to meet you, guys," I tell them, hoping to sound a little sick to make Bella's story believable.

_Maybe she doesn't want to make a spectacle when she breaks up with me?_

"Likewise, Eduardo," Emmett says, standing up to shake my hand. "Next time we meet, I'll bring my feather boa to show off to you." He winks at me in good humor, but all I can do is wonder if there's gonna be a next time if Bella breaks up with me.

I think I manage a cross between a smile and grimace before Bella says, "Goodnight, people", and after hugging Rose, she starts for the restaurant exit, pulling me with her.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

She keeps on walking until we reach my car, and once we're there, she holds her hand out to me, asking for the key in silence.

I feel like I'm in a trance as I hand it over to her. She tells me to get inside before getting settled into the driving seat.

She doesn't give me a chance to ask her where we're going. Instead, she shifts the gear and gets us moving … to the way opposite to her home.

After enduring deafening silence for eight whole minutes, I ask, "Where're we going?"

She looks to the right and then parks the car on a dark patch of road. "I had to kidnap you from there," she says in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You just kidnapped me?" I'm at a loss.

"Uh-huh," she replies, quickly unbuckling her seatbelt. She rises on her knees and then before I know what's happening, she throws her leg to the side, straddling me in the process.

"I just had to kidnap you," she whispers, running her nose along mine.

"Why?" I croak, I fucking croak like a pansy.

"Because, I didn't want my cousin to get an eyeful of this," she answers before putting her lips on mine, silencing me in the most effective of ways.

It only takes me a moment to respond to her, but when I do, I hold her to me, not daring to believe what my heart is telling me. So I decide to ask her. "Does this mean that you're not leaving me?"

She lets out a happy giggle. "Yes, my silly, sweet, pretty boy," she says, punctuating each adjective with a kiss. "I'm not leaving you. Now drive us to your place or I'll drive you insane right here in the middle of the road." She moves over me to prove her point, making me groan at the feeling.

_Fuck! It's gonna suck driving with a hard on now._

I hold her face in my hands and kiss her once more before letting her slide into my seat as I step out to take the driving seat. _I need to take her home … right fucking now!_

**A/N: So thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Unfortunately, my glasses broke and I can't write without stressing my eyes too much. So you'll get DW chapters regularly, but for Redemption of A Lost Soul update, it's gonna be around Monday. Sorry and thank you for your support.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	52. Chapter-52: Tender, Fender, Bender

**A/N: The support you've shown me on this little dream of mine is amazing. Thank you.**

**And I know it's gonna be the longest fic I've written, but I promise there's a method to my madness. :)**

**Chapter-52: Tender, Fender, Bender**

**Word Prompts: ** Tender, fender, bender

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Edward barely manages to close the door behind him before I turn him around and attack his lips with mine. "Bella …" he tries to mumble against my mouth, and I shut him up with my lips before moving my lips far enough to ask, "Yeah?"

"What're you doing?" he asks with a hint of a smile in his voice.

I smile against his collarbone. "What does it feel like?"

A shudder runs through his body, making me smile wider. His hands are on either side of my hips as he seems to be desperately fighting for control. "It feels like the purest form of torture," he replies when I pop the top button of his shirt, letting my lips follow the newly exposed skin.

"I can be tender if you like, baby," I whisper against his sternum.

His hands move downward to hold my ass in his hands as he pulls me up to his lips for a kiss. "As long as your cousin doesn't try to fight me off with a fender, I think I can handle a little roughness."

_God! What's he trying to do to me?_

I fight the urge to dry hump him right there against his door and instead, grab his collar in a fist. "Deal but only on one condition."

A sexy pout forms on his lips as he moves his head away from my hungry lips and asks, "What condition?"

"You'll give up over-thinking stuff," I tell him, taking his hands in mine and entwining our fingers together. "I'm not gonna leave you. I'm too much into you to let you go."

This time, his smile is big as he asks, "You're into me?"

"Hell yeah, I am. Besides, who else is gonna put up with my bat-shit crazy ass?"

He pulls my hands to his lips and kisses my knuckles tenderly. Then he pulls me to him, grabbing my ass in his hands once more. "I'm all kinds of crazy for this ass," he says with a smile. "So no knocking it."

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Lying on my back on Edward's very comfortable bed, I look at the pretty much perfect man lying next to me. "I thought you said no knocking my ass?"

"What?"

"You knocked my ass to the bed when you set me down, Mr. Cullen," I tell him, tapping his nose with a finger.

His smile turns into a frown as he puts a hand on my cheek. "I didn't hurt you, did I, baby?"

I bring my hand up to smooth the dip between his eyebrows. "I'm good. You can never hurt me, Edward," I tell him. "I trust you."

The smile that takes over his face when he hears me is so bright that I don't doubt for a second that it can light up the whole Seattle area.

"You're very precious to me, my beautiful girl," he says, kissing me softly. "I can never stand the thought of hurting you."

And I melt into his arms.

For the second time that night, I move to straddle him. "Let me show you how unhurt I am, ok?" I don't wait for his assent as I open the last few buttons of his shirt all the while keeping our lips attached.

"Bella, wait, baby," he says, breaking our kiss. "I didn't bring you here for this."

"I know," I reply, giving him a devious grin. "I _asked_ you to bring me here. And we don't need to go there if you don't want to."

"I want to, believe me," he says, looking so damn unsure and unbelievably cute. "I just want to be a gentleman. Our first time should be special. I wanna make it special for you because you deserve the best, baby …"

Realizing that he's blabbing again, I put my finger on his lips. "Shh … I love that you want to give me that experience, pretty boy," I say. "I'm not gonna make you break your rules even though I think it'll be special no matter the time because it'll be with you. But …"

"But?"

"I'm a great rule bender," I whisper. "We can bend the rules a little, can't we?"

He nods vigorously as he goes for the hem of my dress, pulling it up over my head. "Hell yeah, we can."

We're laughing as we kiss and pull at our clothes, getting tangled in between the bed sheet and our limbs.

However, the moment he kisses the curve of my hipbone, my laughter dies and I let out an embarrassingly loud moan. Now it's his time to grin as he continues his journey downwards. And the moment his lips touch me through the thin cotton of my panties, I just about come. "Fuck!"

He hooks his fingers on my panties, pulling them down my legs with his eyes trained on my face. I know I should be shying away from the feeling of being so exposed to him, but I don't. I can't look away from his gaze.

"You were right about me," he says, looking right into my eyes from between my legs.

I'm a panting confused hot mess under his gaze. "About what?"

For a moment, I'm glad that he's removed my panties already because the smirk he gives me might've melted them anyway. "I _am_ a pussy-lover," he says before sucking my clit into his mouth.

When he lifts his head, I can see the way he licks his lips. "I'm _your_ pussy-lover, baby," he says. "And you taste very sweet, Miss Swan."

And yeah, that makes my head go completely blank as I come … just as he dives back in for more.

_Fuck yeah! I need to get his mouth insured._

**A/N: *fans self* Thoughts? ;)**

**Share them with me and leave a review. :***

**Thanks for reading.**

**Because I'm blind-typing, I apologize for any typos in there. And just a reminder, Redemption of A Lost Soul won't be posted today. I'll be up on Monday or Tuesday. Sorry for the delay, but typing without my glasses sucks.**

**See you tomorrow with another dream.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	53. Chapter-53: Infect

**A/N: Hi! *Waves*. Sorry for not posting in the past few days. Living so close to Nepal, we felt the tremors of the horrible earthquakes as well. That kinda sent my muse in hiding.**

**Let's get reading, shall we?**

**Chapter-53: Infect**

**Word Prompt**: Infect

**Audio-Visual Challenge—Imagined Image**: A rainbow patterned fabric.  
View the image and write whatever comes to you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Can a person infect our thoughts? Let me rephrase that, can someone be so important to you that they occupy every waking moment of your life?"

"Are you aware that you're making sounds while you're moving your lips?" comes the response to my exceptionally philosophical musing. "Let me rephrase that, do you think that you aren't pussy-whipped even though you think Bella shits rainbows? Because that will make you a clueless dick."

Yeah, at moments like this, I feel like I should throttle my sarcastic asshole best friend.

Of course, my silence seems to make him think that I'm considering the merit of his conjectures. So he pushes, "Admit it, Ed, Bella has got you pussy-whipped."

Just the sound of her name and the word pussy in a sentence brings up the unbelievably sexy image of my Bella writhing underneath me while I'm tasting her.

I suppress a groan at the very thought of her spread out before me. But of course the moment is ruined by the dickhead jogging next to me. "Are you thinking of her pussy right now?"

"Fuck off, Ben."

My rebuttal seems to increase his level of interest on the topic. He actually stops pretending to jog and elbows me in the gut. "Dude, tell me the truth. You're so thinking of getting some Mystery Girl pussy right now, aren't you?"

He's a persistent dickhead, I'll give him that. Stopping next to him, I ask with a raised eyebrow, "The truth?"

He nods.

I decide to be completely sure about it. "You sure you can handle the truth?"

"Hell yeah," he says with a grin. "Give me the dirt, man!"

"Well, the truth is …" I pause for effect before continuing. "Remember Darth Vader?"

He nods slowly, a frown appearing on his face in confusion.

I bring my head closer to him, whispering in a conspiratorial voice, "He's … Luke's father. That's his dirty secret."

I wink, and he looks a cross between rebellious and hurt.

"Fuck man! That's cold."

Laughing at the look on his face, I start jogging again. "That's what you get for even uttering my girl's name with the word pussy in the same sentence, you ass-fucking-hole."

Being able to get one up on him, I end up saying the words pretty loud which earns me a handful of scandalized looks from the mothers who have brought their kids to play in the park next to the trail we're jogging on.

_Crap! You can't expect me to spend my Saturday morning with Ben fucktard Cheney and not use a curse word … or ten._

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"I miss you," she breathes in my ear.

My already bright smile turns into a full on grin. "I miss you too, baby."

She sighs from the other side of the phone, and I can imagine the smile playing on her lips as she asks, "Will it sound completely irrational if I say that I like it very much when you call me that?"

"What, baby?" I ask back, pretending to be clueless.

This time, she laughs, filling up my heart with a kind of happiness I've never felt in my life. "That, you clueless, adorable man. I like it when you call me baby … a lot."

I'm pretty sure my grin matches hers as I reply, "I like calling you baby ... a lot."

"I had a hunch you might," she says, still laughing. "God! We're turning into those sappy couples."

I frown at the word. _Am I really turning into a sap?_

Hesitantly, I ask, "Are we really that bad?"

More laughter ensues before she says, "Maybe, but does it matter when it's _us_?"

One word from her, and she immediately dispels my worries away because I know. I know that when I'm with her, I wouldn't mind being a sap.

_Of fuck! Am I really that pussy-whipped?_

**A/N: Thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**To my friends in India, please be safe, guys. And to all my readers, please keep those people living in Nepal, India and Bangladesh in your prayers.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Tomorrow there's gonna be both DW and Redemption of A Lost Soul update.**

**So see you tomorrow.**

**Take care and be safe.**

**Ann**


	54. Chapter-54: Recover

**A/N: Ready for a new dream? Read on.**

**Chapter-54: Recover**

**Word Prompt: **Recover

**Plot Generator—Phrase Catch: **Just another day in paradise.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Are you sure you can't stay?" he whispers in my hair, and I smile.

Reaching up, I pat the side of his head and shake my head. "Sorry, Pretty Boy, I can't."

I feel his lips curve upward into a smile as he kisses the side of my neck. "I bet I can make you change your mind," he says as his hand starts moving down from my waist and settles on my thigh.

Pulling back to see his face, I ask teasingly, "Why Mr. Cullen, are you trying to seduce me into staying?"

He looks hopeful as he nods eagerly. "Is it working?"

I smile and say, "It is, but if I don't show up for shooting practice with my dad in an hour, he just might come looking for you."

"You and shooting practice sounds very ... _sexy_, you know that?" He moves his hand again, almost brushing me right there before moving his hand again.

I throw a playful glare in his way and say, "I know that you're turning into a tease. And I also know that I don't want you anywhere near my dad when he has guns at hand."

He raises an eyebrow at me and asks with a little pout, "Are you telling me that you won't protect me from your gun-wielding father, Miss Bella?"

That pout happens to be my undoing. Moving my head, I kiss the corner of his lips, making that pout turn into a smile. "I'll always protect you, Edward. I promise."

His eyes are soft as he threads his fingers through my hair and pulls my face to his for a kiss. And that's when we hear it.

A whiny voice say from somewhere behind me, "Oh-Em-Gee, Eddie?"

I feel Edward stiffen in my arms as he closes his eyes and mutters a curse under his breath.

_What's going on?_

My unasked question is answered as a strawberry blond woman wearing an orange dress struts up to our table. I blink a few times to allow my eyes to recover from the assault brought down by the orange-ness of her dress.

She however, didn't seem to notice my presence at all as she leaned forward, effectively bringing her big, and very fake-looking boobs level with Edward's eyes. She even has the balls of reaching forward and pinching his cheek with those claw-like fingers of hers as she coos to him. "My sweet Eddie, how are you? I've missed you so much."

I'm pretty sure my gagging catches her eyes as she stops to throw a look at me and then turns back to Edward. She grabs the hand he has resting on my shoulder and frowns. "You're not wearing the bracelet I gave you. Why? Do you not like it?"

Edward's voice is strained when he answers to her after snatching his hand out of hers and placing it on mine on the table. "Tanya," he greets her, and it all immediately clicks into place.

_She's the crazy ex he told me about._

He gives my hand a squeeze and brings it up to his lips. I don't miss the narrowing of her eyes. "Who is she?"

His smile is bright as he wraps his other arm around me and pulls me so close that anymore closer and I'd have been sitting on his lap. "This is my Bella. She's my ... world." Turning my face to his, he motions toward Tanya. "Baby, this is Tanya, we used to be friends."

"Your world? What does it mean?" This Tanya bitch was really starting to annoy the crap outta me.

He shrugs. "It means that girlfriend doesn't begin to describe how much she means to me." As an afterthought, he adds, "And as long as I'm with her, it's just another day in paradise for me."

I gasp at his words and grab his face in my hands, needing him to tell me that this is not some kind of stunt he's pulling to get away from the psycho ex. "You really mean that? I'm your world?"

Bringing his hands up to place on mine, he smiles into my eyes. "Yes, baby, you're my world and everything in it revolves around you. And when we're together, I'm in paradise."

I don't let him finish talking. Instead, I smash my lips to his and smile when he responds to me.

The sound of Katarina cheering for us in the background makes us break the kiss and he kisses my forehead sweetly. As we both turn to face his ex, we find the spot empty.

_Maybe that woman knew how to take a hint after all, and if not, I'm just going to have to protect my man from her claws._

**A/N: Do you think she truly took the hint? ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	55. Chapter-55: Rocking Chair

**A/N: Happy dreaming ... I mean, reading. ;)**

**Chapter-55: Rocking Chair**

**Word Prompt: **Rocking chair

**Dialogue Flex: **"He's out like a light."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

We speak in whispered voices as we approach the danger zone.

"Maybe he's in a coma."

"What? How do you come to that conclusion?"

My question is answered by a snicker quickly followed by another dumb response. "It's either that, or the little chick rode him so hard last night that she broke him."

Without even bothering to turn to face the dumbass fucker, I reach behind me and smack his head. "Cut that shit out, Ben."

He elbows me to the side, making me turn my head to the side and then pokes his tongue out at me. "Dude, that's the only logical explanation. Jasper never sleeps this late. So …"

"So?" I hiss back with a roll of my eyes. "Just because he's sleeping in, you're assuming that Alice broke his dick and sent him into a comatose condition?"

I make a pfft noise and then raise my head to look into Jasper's seemingly unconscious face. "I'll agree to this though: he's out like a light alright."

"And he can hear you girls speculating about his lovely manhood," Assper replies to me with his eyes still closed.

Ben snorts and asks, "Lovely manhood? Dude, where the fuck did you find that piece of gem?"

This time one eye cranks open and his lips lift to give us a lazy grin. "You should try reading chick porn sometimes. It's funny as hell."

Closing my eyes, I wish to go back to my brunch with Bella and away from these two dickheads. Then I open them and plead with Jasper, "Please tell me that you aren't gonna sit on a rocking chair and share that story with us ... like a very perverted version of a granma."

Before he can answer, however, Ben, ever the eager student, pushes me away and says greedily, "Jas, my man, you know how you can show me how much you care for me by sharing that gold mine, don't you?"

Shaking my head in disgust, I point at Ben. "I thought you have a girlfriend now."

"And?"

"And if you really do, then why the hell are you even thinking of reading that shit?" I'm baffled by this point.

Heaving a huge sigh, he stands up and lays a hand across my shoulder before opening his mouth. "Ed, I'm gonna give you a piece of advice that's gonna take you miles toward sexy times with Bella. Reading or watching a good old porn with your girl is a major turn on, understand?"

Before I can decide where I stand on the whole understanding thing, Jasper sits up and gives me a nod. "That's the shit to make your girl swoon, man. All you need to do is present her with the idea of reading a chick porn together and then you'll see."

And because I'm an idiotic asshole, instead of kicking their asses to the next week, I actually stay in the same room and listen eagerly.

**A/N: That would be a very interesting conversation, don't you think? If it does happen of course. ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	56. Chapter-56: Welcome

**A/N: Hello! *waves***

**Chapter-56: Welcome**

**Word Prompt: **Welcome

**Plot Generator—Idea Completion: **Off to a fresh start.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Hey," an uncharacteristically quiet voice calls from behind me.

Standing up, I welcome him with a smile. "Hey, big brother," I greet him with a hug. "What's up? You sounded worried over the phone."

Emmett nods and closes the break room door behind him before walking toward the coffee machine. He takes the time to fill his cup and after taking his first sip, he shudders. "I swear they purposefully put this shitty sludge in here because they hate us."

Snorting at his sudden coffee-expertise, I say, "You seem like you're in a good mood."

"Terribly good."

Ok, if my goofy cousin has resorted to using sarcasm, something must be wrong … very wrong.

I go to stand next to him and look at his face closely. "Em, what's wrong?"

For a moment he looks like he's going to deny it, but then sighs. "I need help, Bells."

Narrowing my eyes, I ask, "With what? I'm not gonna help you TP Mike's desk again, if that's what you want."

With a shake of his head, he says, "No, not that. I need help with Rose."

"Rosalie? She's lovely, Em," I say with a smile. "I think she's the one for you."

"Yeah, she is." He smiles and then frowns. "Do you know anything about her past? I mean did Pretty Boy tell you anything?"

I give him a mock glare. "Hey, that's my boyfriend you're talking about. Only I'm allowed to call him that." He snickers and when he's over his burst of mirth, I continue. "He didn't tell me much; just that she was married to a really bad guy and then they got divorced. That's about it. He seemed to be worried about her when he told me that though."

"Bad guy doesn't even describe how much of an asshole he is, Bells," he says, a shadow of anger appearing on his face. "He destroyed her self-confidence. He's lucky that the only time we met, we were surrounded by police."

"What?" I ask, feeling confused. _What the fuck did that guy do?_

He nods sadly. "I went with her for the hearing for a restriction order."

"Shit! He's that bad?" I want to ask what he did to invoke that reaction, but I hold my tongue. It's about Rosalie's personal life and if she wants me to know about it, she'll be the one to share it with me.

Instead of pushing Emmett to spill the details, I ask, "So what has he done now?"

"Nothing … yet," he replies slowly before kicking some invisible piece of dirt with the toe of his shoe.

"Em?"

He looks up at the sound of my voice and I see something I never expected to see in my cousin's eyes … a teardrop. "He broke her heart, Bells, badly. And I want to keep her safe and as far away from that asshole as I can. I just … I wish I could whisk her off to a fresh start. I … I love her."

My eyebrows pull up in thought. "From what you've just told me and what I saw when I met her, she seems to be in a better place already."

He starts pacing the room in agitation as he responds to me, "She is better, but …" he trails off and then speaks again. "See yesterday, I was walking her home when she kept looking back. She said she thought someone was following her. I didn't see anyone when I turned back. She didn't say it, Bells, but I could see the fear in her eyes. She thinks it's him. She's afraid that he might throw the restriction out of the window and come after her. I want to protect her from all that bullshit."

"How do you plan to do that?"

"I want to marry her."

I do a double-take at his answer. Although my cousin was never the playboy sort, he didn't seem to be in a hurry to settle down either … until now.

"Say what?"

He blushes. My goofy, big bear of a cousin actually blushes as he rubs the back of his neck. "I uh … yeah. That's what I need your help with."

"With the ring, you mean?"

"No, something much scarier," he answers. "I have no idea how to propose to a girl."

Trying to lighten up the mood, I ask with raised eyebrows. "To a _girl_? Don't tell me you've had experience with proposing to _boys_, Em."

My attempt works, and he lets out a bark of laughter. "Fine. I have no idea how to propose, period. So help me. Tell me what kind of shit girls like."

"Well for one, don't even address 'romance' as 'shit'," I say. "And for the second, trust your heart. If you love her, you'll know what to say anyway."

"In other words, you have zero expertise."

I pull a face at him. "It's not like that I've been proposed to a hundred times."

He shakes his head and goes out of the room with a quick "thanks" to me, leaving me there alone with the foul tasting coffee for company.

That's when a thought strikes me. _What am I gonna do if Edward ever proposes to me?_

I know we are not there yet, but as I think of him, it becomes clear to me that I want him to propose … just in a very distant future. The thought of Edward on one knee makes me smile because that's what I want in my future. He is who I want to be in my future. And that's the moment it hits me.

I'm falling for Edward Cullen, aka Pretty Boy.

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Because RL is crazy right now, there's not gonna be a Redemption of A Lost Soul update until next Friday and as for DreamWeaver, the next one is gonna be on Sunday. I know it sucks, but it's going to get back to normal pretty soon. Trust me.**

**Meanwhile, check out my first ever slash fic, A Dash of Color. It's a one-shot based on the TV Show Queer as Folk. It was a birthday present for one of my fic-best friends, addicted-to-romione-bedward. Stop by and give it a go if you like.**

**See you on Sunday.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	57. Chapter-57: Permit

**Chapter-57: Permit**

**Word Prompt: **Permit

**Scenario: **A funny thing happened on the way to the allergist...

Complete the scenario in any way, in any style, and for any word count. Open your mind and follow where it leads, writing as you go.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"So … a funny thing happened on the way to the allergist last night …" Ben starts without any preamble as he plops down in the seat between Rose and me.

She scrunches up her nose in disgust and says with a slap on the back of his head, "Ew! Cheney, cut that shit out. We're here on a business meeting, not to hear about your ass-itching."

He looks at her like _she's_ the one out of her mind and asks, "When did I say anything about my ass being itchy? Gotta get that head out of my ass, sisi. I know this is a nice piece of ass, but it's also taken."

Rose and I share a look over his head and quickly lose the battle against keeping our mouths shut. We burst out laughing, not caring that the owner of the said ass is sitting right in between us.

After a good few minutes of laughter, my sister wipes away the corners of her eyes and asks him back, "My head is very secure right where it is, thanks. But you need to get yours out of your own ass and permit us to carry on with our discussion." She glances at the plates of food sitting in front of us and adds, "Besides, I'm sure no one is interested in hearing about your ass while they're eating, Ben, not matter how _nice_ you imagine it to be."

He opens his mouth again, no doubt preparing to defend his ass, when I cut in. "Ben, all ass-related discussions aside, why would anything funny happen on the way to the allergist? I don't think having an allergic reaction is all that funny."

My words earn me a disgruntled look as he explains himself. "Dude, stop taking everything literally! By allergist, I mean Angela, you know my girlfriend?"

"The invisible one?"

"Who? The _straight_ chick who works in a _gay_ bar?" Jasper, who has been shoving his food in his mouth for the last few minutes, says with me.

Slapping his forehead in frustration, Ben starts shaking his head. "She scratches a certain itch for me," he says with a wink. "I thought it made perfect sense. At least you should've gotten it, Ed."

"Perfect sense?" I retort. "In what world does a guy nickname his girlfriend as his allergist?"

"The one where a guy has an idiot friend who thinks just because the guy's girlfriend works in a gay bar, she has to be gay too." His declaration is followed by a glare aimed at Jasper who stops in mid-chew and asks back, "What was I supposed to think? She works in a gay bar, and none of us have seen her …"

I hold up my hands to shut them both up and then say to Ben, pointing at him with a finger, "You, stop talking about yourself in the third person. It's too fucking confusing." Turning to Jasper, I continue, "And you, stop spraying poor Ms. Stanley with your food. She's the only one who's actually here to work."

"Sorry, Jess," Jasper mumbles at an open-mouthed, dumbstruck-looking Jessica Stanley who looks like she's gonna pass out.

"Technically, Ed," Jasper adds. "I'm not here to work at all. I work for the Times, man. I'm just here to chow down the yummy goodness Rosalie brings to your lunch meetings."

I grumble in response, cursing the fucked up lunch meeting for keeping me from meeting Bella for lunch today.

Finally, Rose seems to have had enough of our antics because she shushes us all and then asks Ben, "So what was the funny thing?"

"Well, my allergist …" he says, stops and then rephrases. "My _girlfriend_ actually said that she knows a certain Isabella Swan. Ring any _bells_, Ed?"

I feel a frown taking over my face.

_Why would a gay bar waitress know Bella? _My_ Bella?_

**A/N: Yes, there is a plot in here … believe it or not. ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you around Wednesday and after that we'll go back to daily updates.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	58. Chapter-58: Skill

**A/N: Hi guys! *waves* How are you? Let's get reading, shall we? ;)**

**Chpater-58: Skill**

**Word Prompt: **Skill

**Dialogue Flex: **"Let's pretend that never happened."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I take a close look at the target standing further than usual, and take aim. Counting to 3 in my head, I fire the heavy Winchester Rifle in my hands.

_Shot and mark._

Taking my protective gear off, I flash my dad a huge grin. "And that's how you do it, old man," I say with a snicker. "Admit it, dad, I'm more skilled at this."

Dad closes his mouth and elbows Emmett to do the same before grumbling. "Beginner's luck."

"Excuse me?" I ask, shooting the duo a glare. "I'm a Federal Agent. I know how to shoot guns."

"Puny guns maybe," dad stage-whispers to a grinning and nodding Emmett. "I think I can count how many times she has held the rifles in my hand."

I narrow my eyes at them and then ask quietly, "Are you trying to challenge me, daddy?"

He nods. "Well, if you insist …"

I don't even wait for him to finish before loading the gun and shooting again … and again … and again until I've fired ten shots, hitting my mark each time. And then I turn to face him. "Want me to demonstrate more of my beginner's luck?"

"No," dad answers before looking at Em. "Sorry, kiddo. You're on your own on this one."

Emmett's eyes become wide like saucers as he starts shaking his head, making me smirk at him. "Shall I see if I can find something appropriate for you, cousin?" I tease him. "Perhaps a nice red pair of thongs to wear over your tights? You did always want to be Superman."

"Fuck no!" Em replies before saying to dad, "Uncle Charlie, let's pretend that never happened, ok? This one was just target practice."

Dad pretends to lock his lips and then motions toward me. Without another word, he starts making his way back into the house.

_That's right, buddy, it's just you and me,_ I think as I grin at my cousin.

Emmett gives me a pleading look complete with his own rendition of Alice's patented puppy-dog eyes. "Bells, please? Rosie will never look me in the face if I wear anymore of those ridiculous outfits."

A snort escapes me as I remember the revelation of the feather boa incident at dinner a few nights back. "You should've thought about that earlier, Em," I tell him. "Before getting into another bet with me, I mean. You know I always win."

"Come on, Bells, I can't do this anymore. I have a girlfriend now."

"So?" I counter. "I have a boyfriend. That didn't stop you from wanting a rematch, did it?"

I'm one step away from throwing my hands in the air and doing my victory dance when I hear a angry voice ask from behind me, "Boyfriend? What does that mean, Isabella?"

_Oh fucking crap!_ I curse myself inwardly for my big mouth and then turn back to face my executioner. "Hey, dad. I thought you went back inside?" Yeah, I'm not so subtle when it comes down to lying to my parents.

He huffs at my poor attempt at deflection, making his mustache flutter at the ends, and asks with a scowl on his face, "Is it a boy who might be a friend or a friend who happens to be a boy?"

I bite my lip to keep from laughing at the serious expression on his face and reply, "He's a boy who happens to be more than a friend to me."

"Hmm …" he sighs and then says, "Bring him over next week. I need to meet this _boy_ before I allow you to date him."

I don't try to correct him by saying that the boy he's talking about has already taken me out on multiple dates. Why bother his perfect impression of a daughter who's not gonna date till she's forty anyway?

No, I'll just have to make sure Edward charms his way into my parents' hearts. Knowing my Pretty Boy, I feel no doubt that he'll win them over in no time. So instead of trying to find an escape route, I nod.

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for being so patient with me the past few days. From today, we're back on daily updates schedule. So happy reading. :)**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	59. Chapter-59: Weed

**A/N: Hi, guys! How are ya? Happy dreaming. ;)**

**Chapter-59: Weed**

**Word Prompt: **Weed

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Try to breathe with your mouth closed. You tend to forget to do that when you're stressed."

"You need to learn how to weed out your thoughts before speaking."

"Whatever you do, do _not_ stare at his daughter's boobs while he's talking to you."

My head feels like its spinning from all the advice my best friends keeps on spewing … until my mind registers what Ben has just said.

Before I can say anything to him though, Jasper, who happens to be a firm believer of acting instead of talking, punches Ben on the shoulder.

"What the fuck, man? What was that for?"

"For being a pervy shit," I answer on behalf of Jasper. "Why would you even dare to ogle your girlfriend's boobs when you're facing her father? That's just gross, man."

"Who said I'm talking from experience?" he asks, pretending to look shocked.

When Jasper and I continue to look unimpressed with his acting skills, he grins. "What can I say? My Angie's got the real thing, dude!"

Jasper looks downright insulted by this and says, "So does Alice."

I'm about to chip my two cents in about Bella, when the doorbell rings, and as Ben opens it, the one who inspired this ridiculous conversation in the first place walks into my apartment with my sister in tow.

"Hey baby," she greets me with a smile and walks up to drop a quick kiss on my cheek.

"How was your lunch?" I ask, wrapping an arm around her waist.

She smiles at Rosalie, who beams back at her. "It was good. We had a lot to talk about," Bella says.

Rose winks at her. "Oh definitely. Any dirt you need on him, you come to me, Bella."

_Wait a second, dirt? On me? What the hell did she tell my girl?_

Ben points a finger at me and says, "See? Right there. He's worried about what Rose might've told Bella, and he has forgotten to close his mouth."

Jasper stops clearing up the remnants of our pizza lunch and takes a look at me. "You're right, Cheney. Hey, Ed, add that to my 'No can do' list too."

"Fuck you, Assper."

Raising an eyebrow at me, the fucktard says, "So that's why you keep calling me Assper? You want a piece of this ass, Cullen?"

"You're an ass," I growl. "Didn't you have house hunting to do today?"

My question makes his eyes widen. "Oh crap! I forgot about the appointment with the realtor."

The next few minutes are a flurry of activities as Jasper leaves to look at his possible housing facilities with Ben and Rose accompanying him for moral support.

The moment the door closes behind them, I pull Bella close to me and give her a real kiss.

She hums against my lips, sending the sound directly to my dick.

"Hi," I say, grinning like a fool.

"Hi," she responds with an equally wide smile.

I sit down on the couch, bringing her with me. She cuddles to my chest and rests her head on my shoulder. "Did I scare you over the phone?" she asks softly.

I try to downplay the fact that the prospect of meeting her father who happens to own a gun scares the shit outta me and say, "No, I'm ok." Then, because I can't help it, I add, "He doesn't bring his gun home with him, does he?"

She raises her head to look at my face and nods. "He does. Why?"

I shrug half-heartedly, my stomach rolling with the thought of being held at gun point for looking at the police chief's daughter's boobs. "No reason. I'm just wondering if he might be tempted to use the gun when he meets me, you know?"

A small giggle falls from her lips. "The gun_s_, baby. My dad has a full gun collection at home."

"What?" I feel my eyes bug out. "You sure we can't meet them in a more public setting?"

She shakes her head and says, "He said to bring you home." Before I can find some excuse to postpone the meeting, she moves, draping a leg across my lap, and then she's straddling me. She puts her face close to mine and whispers against my jaw, "It's gonna be fine, Edward. You're amazing, and even though he acts like a tough guy, my dad is anything but. He'll not try to shoot you. And my mom already adores you from what I told her about you."

I let my hands run up and down her back, holding her to my chest as I ask, "What did you tell her about me?"

She offers me a teasing smile. "A little bit about how sweet you are. How you make me happy. How you're the sexiest man I've ever met."

"You think I'm sexy?" I ask, the distress about meeting her family already receding.

"Uh-huh," she replies with a nod of her head. "We're alone, aren't we?"

"Yeah …"

She kisses me then a deep, passionate kiss, and then tells me, "Let me show you just how sexy you are to me then."

Without waiting for my response, she stands up, tugging on my hand to make me join her before starting to make her way to my bedroom. And I know that I don't want to fight this pull to be with her anymore. So I follow her.

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care**

**Ann**


	60. Chapter-60: Pillow

**A/N: To those of you who thought it was fade to black in the last chapter, think again. I'm not that heartless. ;)**

**Enjoy! :D**

**Chapter-60: Pillow**

**Word Prompt: **Pillow

**Plot Generator—Binding Blurb:** In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about **politics making strange bedfellows.**

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

**"****Fucking God!"**

**I laugh. "That's a blasphemy," I say, moving my head to kiss his stomach, and then go back for more.**

**Beneath me, he clutches the pillow with his hands as he moves his hips upward to meet my mouth again and again. "Nah," he responds. "This is what the French call la petite mort."**

**Moving my mouth from him, I smirk. "If this is death, then I want to take you on a trip to heaven tonight."**

**"****Shit ..." he curses again before reaching down and pulling me up to his mouth.**

**An uncharacteristic pout comes over my face as I suck on his lips. "You didn't finish," I say.**

**"****That, beautiful, I intend to do when I'm inside you." He nibbles on the corner of my lips, and now, I'm the one who's a moaning hot mess.**

**He buries his face in my neck, sucking on the soft skin just long enough. I know he's gonna leave a mark, and weirdly, I don't care. I want to be marked as his because I've left my mark on him too.**

I feel him smile against my skin and then suddenly, he moves, trapping me underneath him as he makes us touch in all the right places.

A shiver of anticipation runs down my body as I feel him slide up and down my pussy, letting me feel his hardness press into my clit for a moment before moving away.

A moment passes ... then two ... and then, I let out a frustrated growl as I wrap my legs around him. "I've waited for you long enough, Edward," I say, sounding breathy. "Don't make me wait anymore."

"Never, my beautiful girl," he says as he leans down to kiss me. We kiss passionately and then I feel him push inside me, stretching me, filling me in ways I've never felt before.

For a moment, he stays still, not moving, and I just revel in the feeling of having him inside me. And then he says, "I guess what they say is wrong."

"About what?" I ask, slowly starting to circle my hips to get us back in motion.

"What they say about politics making strange bedfellows. We're not that different, and right now, it feels like we just ... fit."

"Perfectly," I agree and then raise my hips in a silent plea for him to move. Being the perfectly amazing man he is he obliges. Soon we're both so close that we're breathing the same air.

"You're so beautiful," he whispers just before moving in such a way that makes my toes curl. A whimper followed by an embarrassingly loud moan, that's all I manage to let out before I'm coming.

He pushes deep inside me one more time ... deeper than he's been until now and then he's right there with me, holding me, grounding me, as we both come down from the high.

"You're right," I say once I can breathe. "We fit just right."

**A/N: This was a long time coming, no? (Pun totally intended)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	61. Chapter-61: Account

**A/N: This one is dedicated to all the mothers out there. Happy Mothers' Day, you wonderful woman.**

**Just to be safe, this chapter might contain emotional triggers for some people. So approach with caution.**

**Chapter-61: Account**

**Word Prompt: **Account

**Dialogue Flex: **"That's no excuse for rude behavior."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

An annoying noise wakes me up from the most amazing and quite frankly, the sexiest dream I was having.

"What is that?" The sound of a sleepy voice next to my ear tells me that it wasn't a dream. No, it was the best kind of reality.

"Hey, baby," I greet her, tightening my arms around her and kissing her forehead. "Good morning."

A sleepy grin comes over her face. "It's a good morning indeed." She moves her head to the side to place feather-light kisses on my jaw, neck and chest.

Her addictive kisses coupled with the feel of her very warm, soft and very much naked body against mine make my dick grow harder by the second. "You're beautiful," I say, pulling her closer so that she ends up being draped over me.

She laughs, the sound doing strange things to me. "You said the same thing last night."

I smile at her. Cupping her face in my hands, I kiss her soundly, letting our tongues slide together. She moans softly as she relaxes against me and I revel in the feel of having her this close.

Just as I'm thinking of raising her up so that I can slide inside her warmth, that irritating noise starts up again. She huffs and looks toward the bedside table where her cell phone sat, ringing like a noisy motherfucker.

"Forget it," I tell her, weaving my fingers through her hair and pushing her toward my wanton mouth. She starts to lower her face when ... "Fucked up piece of a shit technology!"

A small giggle escapes her as she hears the words tumbling from my mouth. "That's quite a colourful language you're using, Mr. Cullen."

I feel my ears heat up. "Sorry, I shouldn't have used such language in front of you ..."

Before I can finish apologizing, the damn phone rings again ... this time, accompanied by my own device of cockblock.

Exchanging a helpless look, we both finally reach for our phones. When I see the caller id, I frown._ Rose? Why is she calling me so early?_ I wonder before the thought that has been constantly running in the back of my mind slips in. _Is this about Royce?_

As soon as I answer the phone, the tone of my sister's voice makes me want to go and hunt down the son of a bitch who did this to her.

"Ed?" Her voice is more of a broken sob than actual words.

"Rose? What's wrong, sis?" I ask cautiously. "What happened? Did _he_ ...?"

She sniffles, and I can imagine her shaking her head, trying to be brave despite her obvious distress. "No."

"Then what is it? Tell me, sis." I'm not above pleading by this point.

A quiet sigh of sadness comes to my ear, and then she says, "Today's the anniversary of ... of ..."

"Fuck!" I curse myself under my breath for forgetting that today is the anniversary of the most horrible day of all of our lives. "Shh ... don't cry, Rose," I whisper to her. "Do you need me to come over?"

"No, Em's here," she tells me, sounding a little bit more in control of herself. "I just wanted to hear your voice, baby brother. It felt like I needed some people to love me."

Guilt washes over me once again. Here I am, half-lying in bed with legs tangled with the most beautiful girl I've ever seen and stressing over meeting her father while my only sister sits in her lonely apartment, crying for the loss of something she never had.

As I open my mouth to apologize once again, I catch a few words from Bella's conversation with the one who's been incessantly calling her. "Ask her if she needs a female company, ok? Maybe just for a little bit?"

"Edward? You there?" Rose's voice makes me look away from Bella and focus on my own shit.

"Yeah ..." I say to her, still it feels very formidable situation.

There's sound of whispered conversation on the other end for a moment, before Rose's voice can be heard once again. "I'll be ok, brother. I have Emmett with me."

"Ok," I reply. "Be safe, sis, and let me know if you need me there."

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too."

After hanging up, I find Bella looking at me. There's a moment of silence before she speaks. "Emmett called. He's with Rosalie ..."

She lets her words hang in the middle and I know that I'll need to tell her about what happened to my sister.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Bella looks at me with curious eyes as I prepare myself to give her an account of my sister's life. "You sure she won't mind? I don't wanna intrude ..." she tells me.

Shaking my head, I reach for her hand from across the dining table. "She knew Emmett was calling you. So I think it'll be ok," I reply. "Besides, I need advice from a law enforcement officer."

She sits up straighter. "All right then. I'm ready when you are."

I try to keep myself aloof, away from any anger I feel for the fucktard asshole I'm talking about, as I start. "Rosalie was the popular girl in high school. She was beautiful and intelligent. So needless to say that she attracted a lot of attention. One of those seeking her attention was Royce King. He was a rich brat, destined to take over his father's multi-million dollar business when he graduated from college. Naturally, it seemed like a good match for Rosalie ... at least that's what she thought. They dated all through high school and college, becoming the so-called power couple wherever they went. After college, they got married."

"Then what happened?" Bella asks when I stop to take a breath.

Taking a sip of my coffee, I continue. "He started going out to parties without her, turning into the typical asshole cheating husband. I used to constantly ask her to leave his sorry ass and come back home. She didn't agree. She kept saying that they married at a young age so he's just enjoying his youth."

A frown appears on her face. "Enjoying his youth? What kind of a fucked up thinking is that? And so what they married young? That's no reason for rude behavior, let alone assholish attitude."

Nodding, I say, "That's what I thought. I couldn't understand why she was so reluctant to leave him ... until she broke down at the office one day and poured her heart to me." I see her frown deepen and steeling myself, I keep going on. "She was pregnant, Bella."

"What?"So many emotions color her features before her face settles on shock.

"Yeah," I tell her. "She didn't want her child to be raised in a single-parent family. She wanted to give ... _her_ a complete home."

"A girl! She has a baby girl?"

Hating myself, I utter the words, I despise. "She _would've_ had a girl."

Bella looks confused for a moment and then understanding dawns on her face. "Shit! Edward, I'm sorry, baby ..."

"Shh ..." I shush her and give her hand a tug. She understands my unspoken request and walks around the table to sit on my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck. I kiss her temple and say, "She had an accident when he wasn't at home. She fell down a flight of stairs. She was all alone in there. Somehow she called mom and we got her out of there and into a hospital."

Bella rests her head on my shoulder as she sighs. "Poor Rose. What did Royce do when he found out?"

Rubbing my hand up and down her back, I answer her, "He didn't come to visit her the whole time she was in the hospital and after a week, he sent divorce papers in there."

"At the hospital?" She asks, looking scandalized. When I nod, she curses out loud. "He's an asshole."

"Yeah," I agree. "That's not all he did though."

"What more could he have possibly done?"

"He filed an official case against her for making him suffer from emotional turbulence by getting an abortion," I reveal.

"What the fuck? He can't be serious!" Bella looks like she's about to go and hunt Royce down so that she can castrate him ... publicly. "What did you guys do?"

I shrug. "We won that case because Rose's hospital records showed that she had clearly lost the baby before she was admitted there. So it had to be a miscarriage. And after the divorce was done, Rose got a restraining order." As an afterthought, I add, "I suspect your cousin had a hand in that though."

She nods, putting her head back down on my shoulder. "Good thinking on Em's part. So what do you need my help for?"

"Is there any way we can get him back?"

"There might be one," she responds after a pause. "He put her through hell with his case, I'm sure. So she can file a complaint against him for harassment. And then there's also a case for infidelity. I can help you guys to get a good lawyer if you want."

"Thanks, Bella. That's what she needs."

"Don't," she says, putting a finger on my lips. "I'd have done the same thing for her if she was my own sister." And that's the moment I realize that I'm in awe of this woman.

**A/N: So that's Rose. It was hard to write for me. So I can imagine how it might be for you who are reading.**

**Longest chapter so far.**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**See you on Tuesday.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	62. Chapter-62: Worry, Blurry, Scurry

**A/N: Hey there, my lovely readers! Ready for a new dream?**

**Chapter-62: Worry, Blurry, Scurry**

**Word Prompts: ** Worry, blurry, scurry

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The day after Edward's disclosure about his sister's past, I get a call from none other than Rosalie, inviting me to join her for lunch. In order to hide the worry from my voice because of this sudden lunch invite, I crack a stupid joke, asking her, "You're not _asking me out_ asking me out, are you? That probably will not go over well with your brother."

The laughter in her voice is somewhat subdued as she replies, "That'll break his heart … to say the least."

Now as I stand in front of the bathroom mirror at the restaurant she asked me to meet her in, I try not to think about the implications of her response that my turning out to be a lesbian will break Edward's heart. _Does she mean that his heart is involved in this too? As in deeper than simple like? As deep as mine?_ I wonder.

Wiping my hand on the foggy mirror to make the blurry reflection come to focus, I check myself once more before walking out and making my way to the table the hostess pointed out earlier.

When I get there, Rosalie has already arrived. She offers me a timid smile as we greet each other. I try to find something to say to her, but all I can think of is how her ex fucked up her life and how I'd love to skin him alive for doing this to her. So naturally, silence hangs in between us.

"You're probably wondering why I asked you to come here," she says, breaking the deafening silence at last. "Without Edward, I mean."

"A little bit," I confess.

Her voice is very quiet when she says, "I talked to Ed this morning. He told me about the … uhh … _conversation_ you two had last night … about me."

"Rosalie …"

She holds her hand up to stop me. "I'm not bothered that he told you, Bella. I think you're more important to him than you think. So it's ok. I know what happened to me has been bothering him for a while. He needed someone to talk about this with." She pauses to take a breath before continuing. "He thinks he can hide it, but I see it … the worry. My little brother loves me, and I know it hurt him to see my life in shambles."

Keeping my eyes fixed at a point on the table between us, I respond with a nod, "He's a great guy."

"You are good for him," she says with a smile. "I just …"

For a small moment, I think that she might say that she doesn't think that I'm the right girl for her brother. But she surprises me when she reaches up to wipe away a stray teardrop from her eyes. "My life sucks, I know that, but I don't want you to look at me with pity."

I'm shocked by her request. "Pity?" I repeat, not being able to comprehend how she can think my compassion and friendship as pity. "You think I feel pity for you, Rosalie?"

"Don't you?" her voice is muffled as she asks me.

"No," I shake my head. "I actually admire you."

She looks at me like I've told her the craziest joke in the history of jokes. "You admire _me_?" She's more shocked than I am as she realizes that I'm not kidding. "Why?"

"Because you're one of the strongest persons I've met," I tell her. "I know that people might call you foolish for giving him a chance after he cheated on you, but I can only imagine the strength it took to do that. I'm sorry you had to go through that, Rosalie."

A faint smile comes on her face as she says, "Call me Rose. I was only thinking of my baby girl when I decided to forgive him. I never thought I'd be happy again when … it happened. Emmett helps a lot."

Hoping to lighten the mood, I answer with a teasing smile, "I had no idea he could have such an effect on someone's life."

We both laugh at that and then I tell her, "My cousin is a goofball, I know, but he has a pure heart, Rose, despite his weird fashion sense."

"I guess the pink turtleneck he was wearing today was your idea then?"

I shrug. "He had it coming when he made a bet against me."

Her smile falls a little as she whispers, "I wish I had met him sooner, you know? I wish I'd never met Royce."

Putting a hand on hers, I tell her quietly, "He'll be wishing that he had never met you. Trust me."

She sighs. "I want to make him pay for what he did to me. I also kind of wish to never see him again."

"How about both?" I ask, a plan already forming in my head.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The moment I walk into the Headquarters, I see people scurrying about. Catching a sight of Kora, I ask, "What's going on?"

She looks at me like I had just asked about the secret behind her pasty complexion and then says, "A dead body was found in downtown."

Frowning, I ask, "What's so special about this one?"

"It's a typical mob hit," she answers. "The first hit from the Brotherhood since last August."

I feel a small shudder run down my spine.

_This is it. The war is starting._

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**See you tomorrow**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	63. Chapter-63: Frog

**A/N: Hi! I've missed you guys. Happy reading!**

**Chapter-63: Frog**

**Word Prompt: **Frog

**Plot Generator—Phrase Catch: **Back in the good old days.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"You're amazing, you know that?" I ask as I let my lips trace her fingers and palm.

A small giggle escapes her as she leans into me. "I have a pretty good idea, but why are you saying it this time?"

I kiss her lips before replying, "Because you make me so happy, Bella. I never thought I'd be this happy."

"That's because you hadn't met me yet, Pretty Boy," she says with a wink.

We stand locked in an embrace in the middle of my old room—simply being together, holding her in my arms is enough; until we're forced to move away when the sound of a throat clearing from the doorway reaches us.

"It's a delight to see you two together," the intruder gushes with a wide smile on her face. Oh and the said intruder happens to be my mother.

"Mom!" I might have whined just a little bit. "You're being all sappy."

She shushes me. "I'm your mother. I have the free pass to be sappy when I meet your girlfriend." Then as if I've suddenly become invisible to her, she ignores me completely and turns to Bella. Takes her hand in hers, she says, "Honey, I can't tell you how happy I am to see him with you. I used to worry that he'd end up with that frog-obsessed girl some day."

_Fuck! Rose had a big mouth._

Cursing my stupid blabbering sister in my head, I meet Bella's curious eyes.

_Of course she has questions about the "frog-obsessed girl". Way to go, Mom!_

Thankfully though, my girl is an angel with a kind heart. She takes the hint when I give her a small head shake and smiles at my mom. "Thank you, Mrs. Cullen. It's really nice to meet you," she says sweetly to my mom, efficiently changing her track of thoughts.

Mom smiles at the name and gives her a half-hug. "Oh honey, Mrs. Cullen is my mother-in-law. Call me Esme, please."

Bella nods, and with another smile and a reminder that dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes, mom makes her exit.

_Thank fuck for small miracles!_

My girl waits until my mother is completely out of the room before turning her gaze on me. "So … frog-obsessed girl, huh? That's my opponent?"

"Baby, ignore her. My mom says the craziest shit."

She shakes her head. "Nope. This, I have to hear."

"Why?" Now I am curious.

"I need to know who's the bitch who dared to look at my man … for future references, you know? For when I want to shoot at a different target for a change."

I do know. I know that when my girl gets so possessive over me, I'm a lucky bastard.

Grinning, I kiss her temple. "You're jealous. It's an adorable look on you."

She pulls my head down to meet my lips with hers. Then weaving her fingers through my hair, she tugs, making my dick harden instantly. "Tell me," she whispers against my lips.

Pulling away, I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down before answering her question. "It's Tanya."

Her eyebrows pull upwards. "Tanya? That crazy ex of yours?"

"Yeah," I respond with a sigh.

"She's obsessed with frogs?" she asks. "Does she have a pet frog she carries around like a little Chihuahua?"

I snort at the image. "That'd suit her. Trust me. That would've been better than reality." When she doesn't say anything else, I elaborate. "She's big fan of the animation movie The Princess and The Frog".

"What's …?"

Raising my eyebrows at her, I say, "She thinks she's the princess, which makes me the …"

"Shit! She called you a frog?"

"Nope. Worse, actually, much worse," I tell her ruefully. "She sent me a gold bracelet with the words 'My Froggy' inscribed on it." I add, "She doesn't even care that I'm not available anymore."

Instantly, Bella narrows her eyes at me. "What did you say? She sent that to you _after_ you broke up?"

I nod slowly. "Yeah. It was just after we started dating, actually. A few weeks back, perhaps?"

If Bella seemed calm up to this point, she sure as hell doesn't look so now. "She insulted you like that?"

Pulling her back into my arms, I try to kiss her scowl away. "Baby, she's crazy. I don't think she has enough sense to realize what can be insulting to me."

She's quiet for a long moment before she lets out a soft sigh. "Don't be so forgiving, Edward," she says. "She insulted my boyfriend, and I don't like it. Let me be mad at her. Let me want to rip her head off for sending you that offending thing. You know back in the good old days, people used pitchforks to hunt down witches?"

Her sudden question leaves me confused. "Umm … so?"

"Well," she says. "I don't have any pitchfork, but that doesn't mean that I'm not gonna poke her in the eyes for looking at you. You're _mine_ … _my_ pretty boy … not some dumbass bitch's frog."

I can't help the grin tugging at my lips anymore. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," she replies, a matching smile taking over her face.

Secretly, I admit to myself that I love being hers, just like I hope that one day soon she'll be mine.

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Just in case, you haven't heard about it yet, the voting for Maybe An HEA Contest is now open. Check out the stories and vote for your favorite. The link for voting in here:**

** u/6649093/Maybe-an-HEA-Contest**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	64. Chapter-64: Throttle

**A/N: Hi! *waves* Happy reading. :)**

**Chapter-64: Throttle**

**Word Prompt: **Throttle

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

**Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh.**

**Alice's grin is very much detectable in her voice as she says to me, "What did I tell you? Is this heaven or what?"**

**Leaning further into the surprisingly comfortable chair, I nod, making one of the cucumber slices sitting on my eyelids slip from its spot. "Mmm ... I undo the whining I did when you suggested we make it a spa day," I tell her.**

**From my other side, Rosalie pipes up, "Don't tell Emmett, but this is the best part of my day."**

**I feel the other cucumber starting to slide down so I do the sanest thing to do in such cases—I take the damn thing off and throw it away—and turn to Rosalie, wanting to thank her for seeing the good in my cousin. Of course Alice beats me to the punch. "Em seriously comes second?"**

**Rose blushes a little. "I uh ... it's just ... it's been a long time since I've got to hang out with people who don't judge me or pity me in the most relaxing of settings. Emmett does mean a lot to me ..."**

**Alice shakes my head, making her stop midway. "Hey, I get it. I'm surprised that he makes the list at all."**

**A smile takes over Rosalie's face as she looks down at her nails. "Lately, he's taken up a large portion of the list."**

**I'm this close to breaking out in an "Awww ...," maybe even hug the woman who seems to be in love with my crazy as fuck cousin when the sound we've been waiting for reaches my ears.**

**"****Lauren, Nicole! Where are my girls?" the distinctively bitchy voice of Edward's ex comes from somewhere behind us.**

**Instantly, I'm reminded of what he told me the night before at his parents' house, and then I'm struggling to keep my ass on the chair instead of charging toward that bitch like a pit bull and throttling her.**

**Being the best friend she is, Alice must notice the way I've gone still, and she nudges me with her elbow. "B, calm down. We're on a mission here, remember?"**

**Her words remind me of the mission we're here for, and I look at the woman giving me a manicure. She catches my eyes and gives me a surreptitious nod before standing up.**

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

**We don't have to wait for a long time for our plan to give results.**

**Looking like three women getting ready for a long weekend ahead, the three of us try to look as inconspicuous as possible, and about twenty minutes later, everyone in the spa is on high alert when they hear the loud screech coming from our target's mouth.**

**"****Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!" Tanya Denali screams as she looks at her face in the mirror. Then, she turns to the woman we had to bribe to do our dirty work—Lauren Mallory, Tanya's usual go-to girl for spa treatments. "What the fuck did you do to me, you bitch?"**

**Lauren blinks, looking like the epitome of innocence as she replies, "Why, Ms. Denali, I applied the dung face-pack on you, just like you asked."**

**"****D-dung?" Tanya almost chokes on the word. "You mean I've got actual shit on my face?"**

**"****Well yeah ... we use authentic stuff for our customers."**

**Tanya's eyes almost bug out of her stupid head. "Whose authentic stuff?"**

**Lauren plays it cool and shrugs. "We don't use human products on customers. So what you chose is a mixture of cat, dog and a little bit of horse dung."**

**"****Chose? CHOSE?" Her voice is so shrill by this point that anymore shriller and only bats will be able to hear her. "When the fuck did I choose to have shit put on my face?"**

**"****You said you wanted the latest face-pack, Ms. Denali, and this is the latest one we have. Besides, if it makes you feel any better, the dung isn't artificially processed at all. It's used in its purest and natural form. Also, the face-pack wasn't simply put on you. It was massaged on your skin."**

**"****You fucking bitch! You massaged dog shit on my face?" Tanya screams as she looks from left to right, trying to figure out who else is to be blamed for her condition, and showing her shit-smeared face to everyone in the process.**

**Alice snorts at the scene and gives me a high five as we get up from our chairs. "You are an evil genius, Swan."**

**"****She messed with the wrong girl's man," I reply.**

**Rosalie grins at me and nods. "You got her literally shit-faced for my brother, Bella. You've earned my respect."**

**Laughing with the rest of the spectators, I lead my friends out of the place but not before giving a quick nod of thanks to Lauren for doing a stellar job.**

**With one last look at Tanya's face, I walk away.**

_**That's what you get for calling my boyfriend a frog, Denali.**_

**A/N: So ... a different version of Lauren. Like or dislike?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	65. Chapter-65: Plug

**A/N: Another surprise POV for you! Enjoy! ;)**

**Chapter-65: Plug**

**Word Prompt: **Plug

**Dialogue Flex: **"Take a chance, what do you have to lose?"

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Plugging in the iPod to the sound system, I give the room a quick glance. Satisfied that everything looks immaculate, I smile.

_This is it._

I don't have to wait long for her though. Soon there's a knock on my door, and I eagerly open it.

"Hey," she greets me, dropping a kiss on my lips.

A small kiss isn't enough for me though. So I pull her back to me and kiss her properly. She hums against my lips and leans her head against my chest when I let her go.

"Hey," I greet her back then, tipping her head back to look into her eyes.

She smiles at me. Her smile doesn't bear the shadow of sadness like it used to hold when we first met. No, her smile is a happy smile. And I can't help but smile back ... her happiness makes me happy.

"That was a hell of a good evening kiss," she murmurs.

I grin. "Babe, that was just the good morning. I missed you the whole day today. So there's gonna be a lot more than just that to make up for it."

Her eyes shine with a hint of tears as she runs a hand through my hair. "How did I get so lucky to find you?" She sounds like she can't believe her luck; when in reality, I'm the lucky asshole who has found her.

Trying to make her smile again, I shrug. "I'd say that it was my amazing chicken dancing talent that did you in."

She laughs at that. "You, Mr. McCarty, are one hell of a chicken dancer," she tells me, kissing me once again.

Inwardly, I fist pump._ She just might say yes._ A guy can hope, right?

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

An hour later, though, I'm feeling anything but hopeful of my situation.

I mean, when you're a guy—a muscular and extremely handsome one at that—and you're on one knee in front of the woman you love, holding the ring your cousin assured you that your woman will like, and suddenly, the said woman starts crying, it's legit to be a little nervous.

And I'm not talking small sniffles or sobs, people. No, I'm talking about big fat tears rolling down her cheeks as she gives you a look that's a cross between "Dude, what the fuck?" and "I love you, Emmett".

I wait a few more seconds before clearing my throat. "Ahem. Rosie?"

Sadly, that doesn't bring me any results; unless you count the addition of sniffles to her previously silent crying.

_What the fuck did I do wrong?_

I look around the room and don't find a damn thing that might've made my brave and strong Rosie cry. I mean, I even cleaned up the random mismatched socks lying around the living room and got rid of the smell of stale pizza and balls. What? I'm a guy, people. I like to scratch my balls. So it's very natural that my place might stink just a little bit of balls. Get over it.

Back to my situation though. I try to think of something that wasn't in the versions of perfect proposals that Bells and Alice walked me through.

Yummy dinner? Check.

Nicely dressed? Check.

No "balls" stink? Check and double check.

Romantic chick music on? Check.

Getting down on one knee? Check and the knee is getting kind of sore by this point too.

Diamond ring? Check.

Ring facing her and not my ugly mug? Check.

Actually saying the words? Check.

_So what …? Oh fuck!_

The light bulb goes on in my head and I start sheepishly, "Rosie, babe, if you don't like the ring I can get it changed …"

"The ring?" Finally, my girl speaks. "You think I care about the ring? I'll be happy with a thread if you got it for me."

Ok, now I'm lost again. "So why are you crying? Did you want a thread instead? I don't want your folks to think that I'm broke …"

"Shut up!"

I promptly do as she asks and shut the fuck up because honestly, that sounded like a better idea even to me than mindlessly rambling about a damn thread.

Rosie lowers herself on the ground, getting on her knees facing me. "Why?" she asks. "Why now?"

"Because you're _it_ for me, Rosie," I answer. "I want you to be mine and only mine, and I don't want that asshole's name ever to be connected to yours."

She sucks in a sharp breath. "Em, I'm sorry. I can't. I can't do this to you," she says, her voice barely a whisper.

"Why not? Take a chance. What do you have to lose? Take a chance on me ... on us."

She starts shaking her head. "You're doing this to keep him away from me. I can't let you ruin your life just because you want to protect me from him."

I feel sad that she thinks that I'm that selfless. "No, babe, I'm a selfish bastard," I tell her, taking her face in my hands. "I'm not saying that I don't want to protect you from that fucker, because I do. But this? Us? We're bigger than that slimy little fucktard you were married to." When she still doesn't say anything, I add, "Rosie, I wanna marry you because I love you … and Rosalie McCarty sounds all kinds of sexy to me."

And then she's crying again and kissing me … hard. So I guess that we're good. But I know for sure when she whispers to me, "Yes, Emmett, I will marry you because I like the sound of Rosalie McCarty."

"Oh thank God!"

"And …" Her words stop my mini celebration as she smiles at me. "Because I love you too."

I don't wait for anything after that. Sliding the ring on her finger, I stand up from the hard as fuck floor and pull her into my arms, intending to celebrate the night with my fiancée.

**A/N: So what did you think? He's kind of cute, no? Even with the ball scratching? ;)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Due to some RL crap there's not gonna be a Redemption update tonight. I'll probably be able to get that out on Sunday.**

**Until then, let's give the TP-Man a round of applause for getting the girl.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	66. Chapter-66: Cordial

**A/N: Hi guys! I missed you. :(**

**Chapter-66: Cordial**

**Word Prompt: **Cordial

**Plot Generator—Idea Completion: **It's all an illusion.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"He's not really gonna shoot you, you know?" she tells me, placing a hand on my thigh and making me stop shaking my legs.

"You don't know that," I reply. "You told me yourself that he has an extensive gun collection."

"Yeah …"

I cut her off. "So what's stopping him from taking a shot at my ass? Especially if he somehow finds out that I defiled his daughter?" Yeah, I might be on a freak-out mode … just a little bit.

"Defiled?" Bella scoffs. "As I understand, the term 'defiled' means that there was a degree of reluctance from one party …" She leans in, making her lips barely brush against my neck as she continues speaking, "And I can assure you, Mr. Cullen, there was no reluctance from _this_ party … not last night or any other time before that."

Her words leave me breathing hard and trying to coax my dick into a more respectable position; after all, no matter how cordial the Police Chief has promised to be toward me, I doubt he'll appreciate watching my dick saluting his baby girl.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Bella! Come on in," a loud voice greets us before I can properly close the car door behind Bella. I turn my head to see a woman in her forties standing at the door of the house, beaming at us.

She lets out a gasp of appreciation as her eyes land on me. "You must be Edward. Gosh! You're handsome."

"MOM!" Bella says, blushing brightly, and I see her mother mouth to her, "Good catch!"

If it's possible, my girl blushes more, and I can't help the grin spreading on my face.

What? It's good to know that you're a good catch for your girlfriend.

"Bells?" a gruff voice calls from just beyond the front door. "Who's the boy practicing for toothpaste commercial?"

That shuts me up real quick.

Slowly, Charlie Swan comes into view as he steps out of the house.

Bella gives my hand a quick squeeze and then introduces me to her family. "Mom, Dad, I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Edward Cullen," she says sweetly before turning to face me. "Edward, as you must've already figured it out, these are my parents—Charlie and Reneé Swan."

Mrs. Swan smiles at me and says, "You can call me Reneé, dear. It's so good to finally meet you."

"Thank you, Reneé," I reply, feeling the anxiety from before starting to lessen.

Of course it's back on full swing when Charlie Swan looks at me through narrowed eyes and says, "You'll call me Chief Swan, boy, not Charlie. Understood?" He waits for me to nod and then asks, "Did you do any toothpaste commercials?"

I shake my head dumbly, not really understanding why he's asking me this. _Is this because he saw me grin once? That's very rude to guys who do star in toothpaste commercials—to categorize people who smile like that …_

"I swear I've seen you somewhere before," he says. "Did I ever give you a ticket for drunken driving? DUI, perhaps?"

"No, sir," I respond, internally cringing as I remind myself that I haven't driven while drunk, I've simply pissed on a police car while I was drunk.

_As a matter of fact, the Chief's handlebar mustache kind of looks familiar …_

That's when I have my light bulb moment. _Well fuck!_

The sudden widening of the Chief's eyes tell me that he's having his light bulb moment as well, and then he gives me a look that makes me thankful that he doesn't possess any magical powers, because otherwise, I'd just be a big pile of ash by now.

_Why God? Why? Why did the Hulk have to be Bella's father? Do you really hate me that much?_ I lament internally, as I think of what my tombstone will say.

_Edward Cullen … murdered for taking a leak on a police vehicle._

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Once Reneé has ushered us inside her home, I take a sit as far away from Chief Hulk as possible. A few minutes in his presence and I know. I know what my tombstone will say. I'm pretty sure that it's gonna read:

**Here lies**

**Edward Cullen**

**Died from being glared at by a livid law enforcer.**

After an awkward silence, Reneé stand up. "Why don't you boys talk while I check on the dinner? Bella, you wanna help me, sweetheart?"

I plead with Bella with my eyes to not to leave me with her father, but of course today of all days, she overestimates my bravery.

"You'll be ok," she mouths at me before standing up. Then she asks loudly, "You guys want something to drink?"

I start to shake my head when the Hulk opens his mouth. "Of course. I think that boy here will like a shot of whiskey … or would you prefer a full glass?"

Bella raises an eyebrow at her dad before turning to me. "Would you like …?"

Chief Hulk cuts her off as he remarks, "Or maybe you'd like a smoke, huh, boy? I can even arrange for some weed if you'd like."

"Dad!"

I avoid looking at Bella, knowing that my girl must be confused as fuck as I try to keep my calm. "No, sir. I don't smoke or drink."

He lets out a snort, calling me out on my bullshit. "You mean you don't drink _ever_?"

_Fuck! What's he trying to do? Make me sweat so much that I feel like I'm the consistency of something semi-solid?_

"I think he means that he doesn't have a drinking problem, Dad," Bella sounds exasperated as she explains on my behalf.

"That's good," Chief Hulk nods approvingly. "So bring the boy a glass of warm milk, honey."

_Uh … what the fuck?_

"What?"

_I swear that woman can read my mind._

Of course her shocked voice doesn't bother Chief Hulk as he simply shrugs. "Well, your _friend_ doesn't drink or smoke so he's a _good boy_. And good boys drink milk. Right, boy?"

That seems to make fumes come out of her ears. "Dad," she says through gritted teeth. "He's got a name, and just because he doesn't have a drinking problem you shouldn't say things like that about him."

The Chief huffs, making the handlebars of his mustache flutter a little. "I'm just looking out for your friend's health, Bella. Milk is a very healthy drink."

She glares at him in response. "He's my boyfriend, dad, not just a friend. So play nice."

Without another word, she stomps away, making her displeasure with her father known. And in that moment, I admire her for standing up for me. It's not that I can't stand up for myself, but I'm too polite to be rude to my host, no matter how much of a dick he is being to me.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The next half hour, Bella peeks into the room from time to time to check in on us and she seems satisfied to find us both watching a baseball game. It's all an illusion though because I've caught the Chief Hulk glower at me frequently.

When the time for dinner arrives, I feel like falling down to my knees and thanking Reneé for saving me from that nerve-wracking environment. Like the idiot I am, I hope that with his daughter and wife present in the room, he'll behave.

Of course I have no such luck whatsoever. So when he clears his throat after a few minutes, I curse my luck _again_.

"So …" he stops for a heartbeat before swallowing his food and saying, "_Cullen_, what do you do?"

_Easy to answer._

"I'm an architect. I work in a small architectural firm in downtown Seattle," I reply, playing it cool.

I swear I can see his eyes shine with triumph—like a fat ass frog who has just caught a fly—not that I'm a fly, by the way. "So you work a meager job, huh? That's gotta be boring."

When I see him side-eye Bella, I realize that he's trying to make her see that I'm too boring for her.

_Oh no! You don't, Hogan._

Putting my humblest face on, I try to smile. "I'm the CEO of the company, actually. Cullen Dreams Ltd … maybe you've heard of it?" I ask, knowing that everyone in the Seattle area knows of the firm.

"Of course!" Reneé jumps in. "Your firm designed my friend's apartment complex last year. Honey," she says, turning to the Hulk. "Remember how much you liked Vanessa's home? These guys designed it."

Her enthusiastic question receives a grunt in response as he suddenly becomes very interested in his food.

However, before I've even finished fist-pumping for Reneé, he opens his mouth again. "What are your hobbies? Bella likes to shoot stuff … as do I."

I try not to focus on the not-so-subtle hint about his gun collection as I start to reply, "I actually like collecting music …"

He doesn't let me finish as he says loudly, "Oh how about destroying public property? Or better yet, police property? You like doing that?"

"Charlie! What's wrong with you?" Reneé intervenes. "He's a guest at our home and in case you haven't noticed, your daughter likes him. So stop trying to bully him. He's a good man."

He seems to relent as he shuts up, but not before muttering, "He's good alright … at pissing in public."

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Thankfully, after dinner, Bella and I manage to excuse ourselves saying that we've got Sunday brunch plans with my family. Reneé hugs me and Chief Hulk narrows his eyes at me as he reluctantly shakes my hand, trying to crush it with as much force as he can muster.

Bella remains quiet until we're on the road and driving. And then she turns to look at me before asking, "You are one of the pee-boys, aren't you?"

_Yeah, I'm fucked._

**A/N: Since you're getting this update after a long break, you get the longest chapter yet.**

**I know Charlie was kind of a dick to PLPB, but can you really blame the man when he's seeing that his baby girl is dating a pee-boy?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	67. Chapter-67: Scamper, Pamper, Hamper

**A/N: I'm glad you guys enjoyed the big meeting with Chief Hulk. ;)**

**Chapter-67: Scamper, Pamper, Hamper**

**Word Prompts: ** Scamper, pamper, hamper

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**Previously: **And then she turns to look at me before asking, "You are one of the pee-boys, aren't you?"

_Yeah, I'm fucked._

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I keep my eyes trained on his face as he tries to come up with a reply; his mind seemingly scampering a mile a minute.

"I … uh … you … that's …" he starts and then stops midway several times before letting out a resigned sigh. "Yeah, that's me," he finally admits.

I nod and then say, "Thank you for being honest with me."

He turns his face to look at me as he tells me, "Bella, I've never been anything but honest with you. I'm not gonna start now. But if you wanna break up with me, I'll deserve it."

"Break up with you?" I repeat in shock. "Why?"

He looks away, keeping his eyes trained on the road ahead as he answers me. "Because I peed on your dad's car. It was a momentary lack of self control."

I know that what we're talking about is a serious situation—at least in my dad's eyes, but a small giggle leaves my lips nonetheless. "Lack of self control or sphincter control?"

"What?" he looks at me like I've lost my mind as he gives me a _what-the-fuck_ look.

I can't help but shake my head at this clueless and awkward yet charming man. Raising my hand, I thread my fingers through the hair at the back of his head and smile at him. "Edward, I'm not gonna break up with you just because you had one too many drinks on a night out with your friends and had to pee. It's not like you purposely chose dad's car to do it."

"How do you know that I was out with my friends?"

His track of thoughts makes me laugh. "Because when that happened, we were … us," I say, not really knowing what label to put on our relationship back then. "I trust you. Besides," I add with a snicker. "Dad told us the story—about a million times—and there were three guys in there. I'm assuming that was a night out with Jasper and Ben?"

He hangs his head in shame. "You assume correct." After a moment, he asks me, "Do you think I should apologize to the Chief?"

"The Chief?" I ask, quirking an eyebrow. "Edward, he's supposed to be my dad to you, not the police chief." Then because I'm a curious bitch, I ask again, "What do you plan to tell him anyway?"

He's quiet for a long moment before he mumbles, "That I'm sorry that I peed on his car and I'm utterly ashamed of my behavior. I can add a little salute to it if you think it'll help my case."

Stifling a smile, I reply to him. "Forget the salute. There's no need to pamper him. He was very mean to you tonight. How about just the 'sorry' part? That should suffice."

When he raises his eyes to mine, I see a look of incredulity in there. "Why aren't you mad at me? I'm pretty grossed out to think of what I did myself."

"That car was a way for him to hamper my social life, Edward," I say. "It was mortifying to be driven to school in the backseat of that car. So I'm glad that it got disgraced like the way it used to embarrass me when I was growing up."

He looks amused by my declaration as he asks, "So you're not breaking up with me?"

"For being one of the Pee-Boys?" I grin. "Nope, you're far too important to me for me to lose you over something I couldn't give a damn about."

_Like I'm falling in love with you kind of important_, I add in my head.

Finally, that pretty and slightly lopsided smile appears on his face as he brings his face to mine and kisses my lips sweetly.

"Yeah?" he asks.

"Yeah," I respond.

**A/N: He's adorkable, isn't he?**

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**DW has been nominated for ****All-Time favorite Twilight Fanfic, Favorite Comedy Fanfic, Favorite Romance Fanfic and Favorite Work-in-progress Fanfic in the Fanatic Fanfics Awards. Thank you to whoever nominated me. Your love for my crazy stuff makes me sappy-happy. You can check out all the nominations by following the link below:**

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	68. Chapter-68: Impose

**A/N: Happy reading. :)**

**Chapter-68: Impose**

**Word Prompt**: Impose

**Audio-Visual Challenge—Imagined Image**: a partially opened iron gate.  
View the image and write whatever comes to you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I close my eyes and hope to hell that this doesn't turn out to be a dream as I let the feelings take hold of me. The feeling of my beautiful girl grabbing onto my back as her legs wrap around me tighter than before takes me right to the edge, but I slow down ... again.

"Why are you stopping?" she complains, giving me an adorable little pout that makes my dick harden even when it's buried within her.

"Not stopping, baby," I tell her, gasping for breath. "I'm savoring you."

She grabs a handful of my hair and tugs. "Fuck savoring. You can savor me the next time. I need you _now_."

Like the smug bastard I am, I grin down at her as I pretend to pick up speed for two strokes and then I slow down again—just to tease her.

She lets out a growl and before I know it, she's rolled us over and is straddling me. Without any preamble, she sinks down on me, taking me inside her. "Fuck!" she cries out as soon as I'm buried deep within her again.

I can't help but look down at the point where we're joined together, and yeah, it's the sexiest shit I've ever seen.

"Kiss me," she demands as she starts to move, and I do exactly as she asks because I'm incapable of not kissing her … claiming her as mine.

The sight of my girl taking charge like this, sitting on my dick with her head thrown back in a silent moan, makes me desperate to get _there_, but I'm a gentleman of course. So I manage to hold off just until I can take her with me.

And then?

It's pure bliss, and I feel like nothing can impose on our perfect world.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

A few moments later, the shrill ringtone of Bella's cell phone lets me know just how delusional I was being for thinking that I could be with my girl with no nosy fucktards to intrude in our bubble.

Because she knows me so well already, she leans in to kiss my lips which may or may not be pulled down in a slight smolder.

What? No matter what Ben says, I don't pout. No, I smolder. And I have no qualms about smoldering if it gives me undivided attention from my Bella.

"It's Emmett," she says planting another kiss on my jaw. "It must be important if he's calling so late at night. He's supposed to take Rose to dinner to celebrate their engagement."

I throw the phone in her hand a glare as I tell her, "He's not winning any Brother-in-law of the Year Award anytime soon, just so you know."

She smiles at me. "Duly noted, and I promise to keep this short."

Lying down on my back, I watch as she talks with her cousin. Her mannerisms shift, and I get a glimpse at Agent Isabella Swan. And I must say, she's extremely sexy when she gets all serious on the phone.

She talks swiftly and in a low voice before hanging up.

I start to wrap my arms around her torso, fully intending on going back to that state of bliss from minutes before as she throws me an apologetic smile. "Just a sec, baby," she says. "He's sending me a picture of a latest breakthrough on our case."

"Is it a dangerous case?" I ask, unable to suppress the worry for her safety.

She shrugs. "It's a big one. According to Em, we've finally managed to get a picture of the latest mattress of the ACM Brotherhood."

"Mattress?" Now that's a term I never thought I'd hear with regard to mob.

"Hmm …" she hums as she starts tapping on her cell phone. "A mattress is a hideout the mob use when there's a possibility of a war breaking out."

She looks intently into her phone for a long moment before frowning. "I swear I've seen this logo somewhere before."

"Can I see it?" I ask, hoping that I'll be able to solve the mystery for her and then get her back in my arms.

She hesitates for a minute before sighing. "I'm not supposed to show this to anyone other than my CIs, but I guess if you can tell me what this means, you'll be sort of an informant too. Here," she responds, holding her phone up to give me a peek at an iron gate with one side opened and the other side firmly shut.

The caption that goes with the picture says: **_The Toilet House- where toilet papers, tampons and toilet seat covers unite._**

_What the fuck?_

She must've seen my wrinkled eyebrows because she shakes her head. "That's Emmett for you. Don't ask. Take a look at the symbol at the middle of the gates," she says, pointing to the spot she's referring to.

One look and I feel a chill runs down my spine.

_Oh shit!_

**A/N: I know. I know I'm horrible for leaving you with the mini cliffy. But hey, I gave you something to be ****_satisfied_**** about too in the beginning. ;)**

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**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	69. Chapter-69: Field Trip

**A/N: Happy reading. :)**

**Chapter-69: Field Trip**

**Word Prompt: **Field trip

**Dialogue Flex: **"That's easier said than done."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*Dreamweaver*~*~*~**

Alice groans as she tries to get more comfortable on Edward's couch, looking like she's barely keeping her eyes open. "Swan, you suck for ruining my sleep," she says, throwing a glare in my way for good measure.

Emmett pushes her feet away from one end, making space for Rose to sit down on and then says in a grave voice, "Bells, you know how much I hate agreeing to Al Pacino here, but why the hell did you cut my beauty sleep short?"

I roll my eyes at my cousin as I reply, "It's not like I'm taking you two on a field trip. You two better wake the fuck up if you wanna hear about this. And then you'll be free to get back to your sleep."

"Hear about what? Your so-called breakthrough? At the middle of the night?" Em asks. "It better be about the Toilet Brothers."

"It's about the Toilet _House_," I say, knowing that the only way to get these two asshats' attention is to use that ridiculous term for the ACM Brotherhood's hideout.

The trick works as Alice lets out a loud snort. "Toilet House? That's priceless. Who came up with this shit?"

Emmett being Emmett makes a small bow at her, and in return, she gives him a mock salute before saying, "Respect, Comrade."

I wait for them to finish catching up to each others' level of goofiness before I can continue.

"Are they always like this?" Edward whispers from beside me.

"Pretty much," I answer softly before addressing the room at large. "Now as Em so aptly said that I'm ruining your beauty sleeps, let me get straight to the point."

Rosalie holds one hand to stop me. "I have a question, please," she says. "If this is some top secret FBI thing you guys are gonna talk about, then why are _we_, civilians, here?" She gestures at herself, Edward, Ben and Jasper who are scattered around the room.

"Good point. Well, as it turns out, this case involves you guys more than you think. So from this moment on the four of you will be regarded as our C.I.s—if you wish to help us out of course."

I wait to check their expressions. Rose and Jasper look confused and Edward nods in disbelief once again. Ben, however, frowns. "Bella, is Angie your C.I.?" he asks quietly.

"Angela Webber?" I ask for clarification. When he nods, I continue. "Yes, she's one of my C.I.s. We got her placed on the Gaybar actually because it so happens that one of the brothers from the ACM Brotherhood owns the bar."

His frown deepens. "She'll be safe if a mob war does start though, right?"

"Of course. If something like that does break out, then you'll be taken to a safe place with her … _if_ you agree to be our C.I., that is."

His answer is quick and strong as he says, "If it means that I'll get to stay with my Angie, then count me in."

"Thank you." I offer him a little smile, never having seen goofy and crass Ben show this much compassion for anyone before.

Then I start talking. "Before you guys got here, I called our superior, Eleazar, to make sure it was okay to share this with you guys."

"And?" Alice prompts, finally looking wide awake.

"He agreed that if we're gonna need cooperation from a few civilians, then it'll be wise to share a little bit with them—just to let them know what they're getting into," I say as I give each of our friends hard looks, giving them a chance to back out.

The silence in the room stretches on until after taking a deep breath, I decide to tell them the truth. "Our target is a group notorious for their organized crime campaigns—The ACM Brotherhood. Although the brotherhood consists of many soldiers, the actual leaders are three siblings named Aro, Caius and Marcus …" I glance at Edward and squeeze his hand before adding, "Volturi."

"Volturi?" Rosalie's eyebrows shoot upward as she looks at her brother and I in shock. "Our _client_, Volturi?" she asks for clarification.

Edward nods. "Unfortunately, yeah."

"How did you find out?"

I hold out my phone to Ben as an answer to his question. "This is the new hideout for the Brotherhood as they prepare for a mob war."

Ben cranes his neck to look closely at the photo I'm showing him and says, "That's just an iron gate." I can hear the silent question of how we made the connection in his voice, apparently, so does Edward.

"Look at the logo in the middle of the gate, man," he says to his friend.

Ben takes the phone from my hand and looks carefully at the logo saying '_CDreams'_. He lets out a curse. "Those fuckers used _us_ to design their hidey hole?"

"Sadly, yes," I reply. "Edward tells me that you guys have been working tirelessly on this project for a while now."

"Pretty much," Rose answers as she takes the phone from Ben to look at it as well. "The Volturi Project was a big one for us. They asked us to design a corporate-style building for them. The gate you see in the picture is a temporary one we place in all of our on-going projects. The place is almost finished though." She looks to Edward for confirmation who nods.

"The original iron gates will be placed next week and then, it's handover time. Some of their people have already started moving over to the place."

Emmett holds a finger up, pointing to Edward as he says, "If what your boy here says is true, Bells, then they've started to set up their guards already. We need to move fast."

I agree with him. "Yeah, I guess we have until next week to set up everything we need."

Jasper, who has been silent all this time, finally speaks out. "Here's what I don't get. Why would they ask for a corporate building if they plan to live there?"

"Camouflage," Alice tells him. "They can't have the other crime family know about their mattress. It's gonna be a bloody war when it breaks out that they're planning to seize power of Seattle."

"Power over what?" Jasper looks worried as he asks. "And why exactly am _I_ here? I'm not a part of Cullen Dreams."

Alice sighs and stands up to walk over to him. "Jasper, there are two crime families who control the criminal underworld of the city of Seattle: The Volturis, or as they are better known—The ACM Brotherhood, and the Hunter Family. While the Hunters are more ruthless in their pursuit of power, the Brotherhood is shrewd. And as it so happens that they are planning to take power of the whole city … by eradicating the Hunters."

"How is this shit not in the news?" Ben exclaims.

I look at Jasper with a sad smile. "That's where you come in, Jasper. You're a member of the news media and someone we can trust. So you'll be with us to document everything so that when the case goes to trial, you'll have the proof to counter any fake evidence the Volturis come up with."

He doesn't say anything for a long moment. He simply looks at Alice and then nods slowly. "I'm in."

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Once our company has left, I walk up to Edward and wrap my arms around him from behind as he closes the front door. "You seemed very quiet," I murmur in his ear.

He sighs before turning around and hugging me to his chest. "It's just shock, I guess," he says. "That project has been my biggest one yet and look how it turned out."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He shrugs. "I feel like I should've known that these guys were slimy assholes when I had the first meeting with them, you know? I suck at reading people."

"That's easier said than done," I say. "Reading people, I mean. Besides, you don't suck at reading people, Edward. In the short time we've been together, I feel like you know me better than everyone else around me. And let me tell you, Pretty Boy, reading me has been known to be quite difficult."

My playful words make him relax as he leans in to kiss me. "You, my beautiful girl, happen to be my most favorite book to read."

I hum against his lips. "Let me show you my favorite chapter in the book then," I say before pushing him against the door and kissing him fervently.

He smiles as he helps me wrap my legs around his hips so that we could explore that chapter together … the chapter about _us_.

**A/N: See? The Matchstick can show compassion when the time calls for it.**

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**Ann**


	70. Chapter-70: Saturate

**A/N: Hey, guys! How are you?**

**Chapter-70: Saturate**

**Word Prompt: **Saturate

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I close my eyes and count to ten while I resist the urge to snap the pencil in my hand, imagining it to be an equivalent of Ben's neck.

I say _'resist the urge'_, people, because I seriously doubt that I can actually break it in half. But hey, that's just semantics, right?

However, one more sigh out of his extremely long nose later, I slam my hand on the top of my desk. "Oh for fuck's sake! Just spit that shit out already, man."

He looks at me through these weird bleary eyes—which make him look like a drunken owl—as he says, "What kind of shit are you referring to, Bossman?"

I roll my eyes at the stupid nickname he calls me and elaborate. "Whatever the fuck has gotten your panties in a twist, I mean."

Another sigh comes out, and then he says sounding almost wistful, "Ah! Twisting panties. That's where it all began."

_What the fuck?_

"Dude, I was talking _metaphorically_," I tell him, suddenly feeling worried about his bizarre behavior. _Well, bizarre than usual._ "I didn't think you will be wearing panties, no matter how creepy I think you are."

He finally gives me a proper response by glaring at me. "Never said I was thinking of _my_ own panties, you douchebag. I was talking about Angies."

I pull a face because who the hell wants to hear about their best friend's weird as fuck panty fetish of all things?

He pretends not to notice my expression as he adds as an afterthought, "Besides, if I was gonna go for something kinky, I'd have gone for the nipple pasties. Those are the big deal now, man!"

Trying to fend off a fresh bout of nausea at the thought of Ben in nipple pasties, I respond without cringing … much. "Ben," I start and offer him a smile which probably turns out to be closer to a grimace. "Buddy, as much as I like hearing about your newfound attraction for Angela, I really don't feel like discussing her undergarments."

"Not _her_ panties, you ass," he says. "I was talking about those male G-strings. I saw her face for the first time when she was peeking from behind one of those."

"The fuck …?" I may have said it aloud this time, but what do you expect me to respond to that with?

He holds up his hands in frustration. "Gah! What I meant is I saw her face in a net-commercial about that gay bar. They were showing some of their … _assets_, and somehow her face got filmed while she was bartending." He gives me a look full of disappointment—like it should've been obvious to me.

_Right. I'm the whacko one here, _I think sarcastically.

To him, I say with a shrug, "Okay …"

"Yeah," he replies before sighing _again_. "I miss her, Ed. I still don't know why we needed to limit our interactions to private settings."

This time, I give him an understanding smile. "I know, man. I miss my daily lunch dates with Bella too. But this is to keep us safe. So that even if the Volturis find out about our plan, they won't connect us to each other immediately."

"I get that," he says. "But I think I love her, Edward. When she's not with me, I feel like a doughnut …"

"A doughnut?" I ask, stifling a snort at the ridiculous metaphor.

Ben, however, looks completely serious as he nods. "Like there's a hole in my heart." Without another word, he gets up and walks out of my office, leaving me gaping at his figure.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The whole day, I think about what Ben told me and the more I think, the more I understand. No matter how ridiculous the notion of my best friend being in love seems to me, it has happened. He has fallen in love … just as I have.

As I think back the last few months with Bella, I realize how much she has become to mean to me. Slowly, bit by bit, she has saturated my life with her small loving, touches. And now, I find that I can't even think of a life without her.

Hell, suddenly, it hits me that she _is_ life for me. She's become my life … my everything.

I feel a grin spread onto my face as I let the fact sink in completely—I'm in love with Bella Swan, my mystery girl.

Suddenly, the ticking of the clock sitting on my desk feels slower than usual as I start counting the moments before I'll get to see her tonight. Why, you ask? Because I'm going to tell her; let her know exactly what she is to me

And I hope to God that she doesn't call me crazy because if she's with me, I think I can even take on her Hulk Hogan father as well.

**A/N: So …? Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	71. Chapter-71: Precious

**A/N: Hi everyone! *Waves***

**Chapter-71: Precious**

**Word Prompt: **Precious

**Dialogue Flex: **"Take it or leave it, that's my final offer."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Absolutely not!" I say, shutting him up instantly. "I'm gonna let you help me with dinner and that's it. Take it or leave it, that's my final offer."

He throws a playful scowl on my way. "You're so bossy."

With a smile on my lips, I sashay from behind the kitchen counter and walk up to him. The moment I wrap my arms around his neck, the faux stare-down he's been working on falls from his face as he rests his hands on either sides of my hips. "You like me bossy, Pretty Boy. Admit it," I whisper in his ears.

His hands tighten around my waist as he pulls me to his chest. "You've got no idea, beautiful," he responds before kissing me deep and quick. Then he pulls away and looks directly into my eyes, making me feel like he can see right into my very soul. And then he says, "Let me take you to dinner. Please."

I laugh at the pout that appears on his lips and because I can't help myself, I kiss his pout away before taking his face in my hands. "Let you take me to a fancy dinner and risk exposing you as a part of my life to any _onlookers_?" I ask, referring to the Volturi spies that might be keeping eyes on the FBI. "Not gonna happen, baby."

"But ..."

"No." I shake my head. "You, Mr. Cullen, happen to be very important to me, and I don't wanna risk losing what's important to me."

He rolls his eyes at my over protectiveness, but I think I detect something that looks a lot like hope in his bright green eyes.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Edward pops the last forkful of pasta in his mouth before giving me a satisfied smile. "You're an awesome cook."

I shrug. "When you live with Alice, you kind of have to be. She can't cook if it meant that she'd starve otherwise," I tell him before holding my glass up to him. "I'm glad you enjoyed dinner though."

He clinks his glass with mine before taking a sip of his wine. He looks like his mind is somewhere else as a frown comes over his face. "I still think that it would've been better if we went out. When do you think we'll be able to do something like that again?"

Reaching across the table, I take his hand in mine. "Baby, I know you want to treat me right and all that, but I'm perfectly happy staying right here with you. I don't need to be wined and dined every few days. You know I'm not like that."

"Yeah, I know, I know," he says back, his eyes trained on our joined hands. "It would've been better with a dinner at a fancy restaurant, but if I have to improvise, I will. I'm sorry that I didn't get flowers on my way here."

"What?" I blink, not being able to make a lick of a sense of his sudden distracted words. "Edward? Are you feeling alright?"

He nods silently before standing up, keeping my hand firmly clasped in his. "I will be once I get this out of me."

For one crazy moment, I think that the food hasn't agreed with him and he's going to be sick. But before I can pull my hand free to grab a brown paper bag for him, he yanks on my hand and pulls me into his arms.

"Isabella Swan, you are an extraordinary woman," he says as he takes my face between both of his hands. "You are sweet, sassy, beautiful, mysterious and just about perfect in every way."

I smile up at him and put my arms around his shoulders. "Just about perfect, huh?" I tease him.

"Yeah, aside from having a father who is a replica of Hulk Hogan and who hates my ass, you're perfect." He looks very serious as he replies to me.

A small giggle escapes me as I take in his words. "Forget about him. I happen to love your ass," I say, sliding my hand down and squeezing his ass once for good measure.

He chuckles. "Let me finish, please?" he requests and takes my hand away from his ass. He brings my hand to his lips and plants a kiss on the back before continuing. "When I first met you, I admired how you seemed to find happiness in the simplest of things, but after sun-watching with you countless of days, I don't just admire that. I've come to love that about you. In fact, I've come to love _you_."

_Wait, what?_

I feel the smile slip from my face as I stare up at him with my eyes possibly looking like a grasshopper's. "What did you just say?" I ask after a long moment of silence because I need confirmation that I am not hallucinating.

He pushes a lock of hair away from my face and brings his lips impossibly closer to mine. When he speaks, our lips brush against each other's. "You're very precious to me, Bella. I love you. I've fallen in love with you and I don't wanna stop falling. Ever."

A cross between a sob and a bark of laughter escapes my lips before I throw my arms around him, attacking his mouth with mine.

Stupid tears start making their way down my cheeks as I kiss him. We both laugh and kiss again and again. It's sloppy and very far from perfect, but it _is_ perfect because it's us. The thought snaps something inside me, and wrapping my legs around his hips, I hug him closer. That seems to give him whatever signal he's been waiting for as he places his hands on my ass, holding me tightly to his chest, and starts making his way to my bedroom.

Just before he can drop me on the bed though, he stops and looks at me with an adoring smile on his face. "Does this mean that you feel something for me too?" he asks shyly, and I laugh, nodding my head fervently.

"I feel everything for you, Edward," I finally manage to tell him. "You're everything. I love you too."

As soon as he hears the words I never thought I'd say to another man beside my dad, he smiles, and the happiness in his smiling eyes is the most incredible thing I've ever seen.

And that's when I know. Sometimes, even if we stop looking for a treasure, the treasure might find its way to us.

Edward's happiness, his smile is something I want to treasure forever.

**A/N: *Whistles innocently* Everyone doing okay?**

**Let me hear your thoughts and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	72. Chapter-72: Garage

**A/N: Hi! Let's get reading, shall we?**

**Chapter-72: Garage**

**Word Prompt: **Garage

**Scenario: **It isn't a party until _ shows up.

Complete the scenario in any way, in any style, and for any word count. Open your mind and follow where it leads, writing as you go.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

As I'm about to pull into the garage, I hear her exhale from the other side of the line, "You've reached."

"How …?" I'm baffled at how she can guess that when I'm in Portland.

She sounds a little sheepish as she replies to me. "Your car has a GPS tracker that can be remotely activated."

I can clearly imagine how she must be blushing as she admits that to me. "You're not worried for me, are you, baby?" I ask her, hoping to make her forget that I'm now sitting inside the belly of the beast so to speak.

She laughs softly. "It's this crazy thing I have for you, Pretty Boy. It makes even stalking you seem to be justified."

"Oh? And what thing will that be, love?" I ask back, needing the distraction before I face the Toilet Brothers as Emmett has named them.

"Love," she whispers to me. "I love you, Edward. Stay safe, please?"

"Always, beautiful," I respond. "I love you too. I'll be back with you soon."

With that, I disconnect the call and get out of the car. I'm at the office of the Volturi Holdings … to officially handover my hard-worked project to those assholes.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Tapping my fingers on the folder lying in front of me, I look at the man sitting across from me. "Mr. Volturi, how long is this gonna take?" I ask, sounding every bit of a businessman I am—just like Bella suggested me to be.

The man who introduced himself as Caius grins, making his face look like a snake's. "Patience, Mr. Cullen. This is happy occasion for us all and it should be celebrated."

I offer him an answering smile and say, "Well then by all means, Mr. Volturi, let's go and share a drink before we call it a day."

He shakes his head. "We don't drink those sloppy grape juices you guys prefer. No, we get our wine from Italy."

Ben, who has been surprisingly silent for this long, finally asks innocently, "Do you trade in liquor too? I didn't realize that 'holdings' deal in liquor now a days."

Caius's face darkens for a bit before he lets out a bark of laughter. "You are funny, Mr. Cheney. What we get are strictly for family enjoyment. We get a few thousands of bottles shipped here from our extended families over at Italy every few months."

"Thousands?" Ben asks again. "Yours must be a pretty big family then."

The other man's eyes narrow just a little as he murmurs, "Bigger than you can imagine."

His words make me feel uncomfortable and I give Ben an imperceptible head shake, telling him to stop interrogating the man. Then I say to Caius, "So where is this family wine? Let's drink to the successful completion of our project."

"We're waiting for my brothers to join us," he explains. "It isn't a party until Aro joins us anyway."

"And he's here," a voice says just as we hear the sound of the door to the conference room open. "We both are."

And that's when I get my first glimpse of a mob boss.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Well, that was different from our last client," Ben remarks as we get into the car to get back to Seattle from Portland.

"You think?" I ask, sarcastically.

He nods solemnly. "Yes, the last one was trying to get into your pants, and this one? This Aro made me feel like he was trying to get into my head."

All I can do is nod back, a little relieved to be done with this meeting and eager to get back to my girl.

**A/N: Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	73. Chapter-73: Silver

**Disclaimer: Twilight Saga isn't mine, neither is Dean Winchester, unfortunately. **

**A/N: Happy reading! :)**

**Chapter-73: Silver**

**Word Prompt: **Silver

**Plot Generator—Phrase Catch: **Going around and around in circles.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Hey guys, can I come in?" Mike asks as he peeks into the break room.

"It's the break room, Mike," I tell him with a smile. "Not our private office. You don't need to ask for our permission to come here."

"Oh right," he says with a grateful smile, and for the hundredth time I wonder if he's really a little bit stoned at the moment.

Emmett takes a loud sip of his coffee and then throws an arm around Mike's shoulder. "So, what brings you here, Mikey?" he asks in a voice way louder than his usual.

Mike almost jumps out of his skin at the sound of his voice and blinks rapidly. "No … uhh …"

_Poor guy!_

Alice gets up from her seat and hands Mike a cup of coffee before offering him a seat, effectively saving him from Emmett.

After he has taken a drink of his coffee, Mike looks at the three of us and then reaches up to fix his glasses before speaking. "Do you think that silver bullets are the only things that can kill mobsters?"

"What?"

"Silver? Where did that come from?"

"Did you snort a piece of toilet paper while doing drugs again, Mike?"

I stifle the chuckle that threatens to come out as soon as I hear my cousin's brilliant question. Then I ask Mike in a calm voice, "Where did you hear that, Mike?"

"Eric," he responds. "I heard him saying that we need a silver bullet to correct the situation. So I thought I'd ask you."

"Mike, you do know why silver bullets are supposed to be used, don't you?" Alice asks.

He nods quickly. "Yeah, to kill werewolves. I've seen Dean do that lots of times."

What the fuck?

"Who the hell is Dean?"

Mike gasps and looks at Em like he's lost his mind. "What do you mean who's Dean? He's Dean Winchester—a kickass hunter who hunts evil."

"Evil like werewolves?" I ask to clarify.

He nods excitedly. "Yes! You've seen the show, right?"

_Oh! He's talking about a TV show._

Plastering a smile on my face, I say, "Sure. So Eric was talking about this show?"

"No, no, not the show," he says quickly. "He was talking about the Brotherhood and that we needed a silver bullet to solve this. But she disagreed, saying that she already has a plan in place,"

"She?" I frown because Eric Yorkie wasn't even on the field for this case. "Who's _she_?"

"Kora," Mike answers. "It sounded like they were arguing … going around and around in circles about something to do with the silver bullets."

We all sit in silence for a bit before Mike's pager goes off and he stands up and leaves.

Once the door is shut behind him, Alice starts talking. "It can still mean that they were just talking about some magical solution to the case."

"Maybe," I agree. "But it still doesn't mean why Kora will go to Yorkie to talk about this. He isn't even on the case."

"Maybe she thought a fresh perspective will be good?" Alice sounds doubtful of her own theory as she talks about it.

Emmett crumples up the paper cup in his hand and interjects, "Or maybe she's a competitive skank who's trying to get one up on us by solving this case before we do."

In the end, we agree to keep it to ourselves for now and head to our own desks. As I'm walking toward my desk, I pass Kora, and the smile on her face makes me thankful of the fact that we've got Jasper working on the Volturis without the knowledge of our colleagues.

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	74. Chapter-74: Bloom

**A/N: Happy reading!**

**Chapter-74: Bloom**

**Word Prompt: **Bloom

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Have you ever seen a flower grow and bloom in all its glory? No? Neither had I … until I met my Bella.

She is the one who brought home a flower that blooms at night and stayed up with me to watch it blossom. It was a mesmerizing sight, but it fades in comparison to the new kind of blooming I'm seeing.

The blush spreads down her body from her neck to the top of her breasts and then beyond. I watch with fascination as her back arches upward to meet my touch. As I'm leaning down to take one of her nipples in my mouth, she suddenly rolls away from me and then she's straddling my hips.

She moves against me, creating much needed friction and making me feel just how ready she is for me. She kisses my lips and whimpers when she feels my fingers touching her. "Edward!" she cries out my name when I kiss her breasts this time. She pushes against my hand when I dip one finger inside her. "I need you," she says, and it's all I want to do … bury myself deep within her and never let go.

Using my hands for support, she sits up and then she's taking me inside her, and I watch her face for any sign of discomfort because she is my first priority … always. All that registers on her face is pleasure though. She smiles down at me when I'm deep inside her. I smile back, letting my hands ghost upwards her sides until I'm cupping her face in my hands.

"I love you, Bella," I tell her before bringing down her face to mine and kissing her like she's the last breath of fresh air on the planet. She murmurs that she loves me too before starting to move. And then we're lost in sensations and each other.

When we resurface, she's lying underneath me once again and running her fingers through my chaotic hair. I place a kiss on just where her heart resides and she tugs on my hair lightly, making me look up at her.

"You're worried, aren't you?" she asks, but it's not much of a question as it is a statement.

"Wouldn't you be?" I ask back.

She closes her eyes and nods. "I was scared shitless that day when you went to meet them. Every moment I wasn't in contact with you, felt like a year."

I move my head and kiss the middle of her chest before climbing up her body and flipping us so that she's the one lying on top of me now. "Then you have your answer, baby," I tell her.

She's silent for a moment before she speaks. "I'm not used to feeling this … vulnerable. I can walk into a drug bust and not worry at all because I know my aim will protect me. But when it comes to you? I'm surprised my nails are more than stubs to be honest."

I laugh, and she slaps my chest slight. "Hey! Don't laugh at me. It would've been your fault if I had chewed up my nails."

"My fault?" I ask with a raised eyebrow. "How so, beautiful girl?"

The endearment softens her eyes as she lies her head down on my chest again and hums, closing her eyes in contentment. Then she says, "For making me fall in love with you."

I rub her back, pulling her closer to me. "Ditto, baby. Some days it scares the hell outta me just thinking how easily I can lose you. When I first heard about this thing, I was this close to throwing you over my shoulders and running away with you."

She laughs, probably thinking that I'm joking, but I'm dead serious. She's become the centre of my universe in a few short months, and I don't want to imagine my life without her in it.

When she stays silent for a long moment, I think that she's fallen asleep, and that's when she murmurs to me, "Maybe when all this is over, I'll take you up on that thought."

I look down to see her eyes looking right back at me, an unspoken promise shining in them. And all I can do is kiss her again before whispering that promise back in her ears.

Here, with my girl wrapped in my arms, is just the piece of heaven I've been looking for.

**A/N: Couldn't resist a little bit fluff. This is a "Thank You" to all my lovely readers for staying by my side through everything.**

**I love you guys.**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**I don't usually do fic recs, but if you haven't read it, you're missing out on something amazing. For those of you who love Outlander, StillDreaming85 gives us LairdWard in My Laird. It's a story that will capture your heart and refuse to let go even after you've finished reading. So give it a try and say hi to her for me.**

**Summary:**** Isabella is an English woman, trying to escape a marriage she doesn't want. Edward is a Scottish Laird, with a soft spot for a damsel in distress and a hate for the English Redcoats that pursue her, but what does he do with her now that he has saved her? He has no choice, other than to bring her home, but he wasn't counting on falling for the lass on the journey to Castle Menzies.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	75. Chapter-75: Sacrifice

**A/N: Wow! DW reached 1k+ reviews with the last chapter. Thank you for the love you've shown this little dream of mine, people. You guys rock!**

**Chapter-75: Sacrifice**

**Word Prompt: **Sacrifice

**Dialogue Flex: **"It's a beautiful day to spend outside."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I watch as Alice deftly attaches the minuscule transmitter into a button on Jasper's shirt, her eyes cast downwards. She doesn't look up until it's securely attached and no one can tell that there's anything remotely resembling a transmitting device on him.

She brushes her hand down the front of his fake landscaping company uniform and then lets out a soft sigh. "I guess you're good to go," she says quietly.

"Not just yet," he tells her before taking her chin in between his thumb and forefinger and softly brushing a kiss on her lips.

I avert my eyes from them because suddenly it doesn't matter that we're sitting in an unmarked car with me and Emmett watching them interact, it still feels like an intimate moment for them … something I feel like I shouldn't trespass upon.

I feel Emmett nudge my arm with his elbow and turn to see him gesture toward Alice. She sits there, in the back seat of the car with tear tracks running down her cheeks as she listens to something Jasper whispers in her ear. I turn my head away, trying to give them at least a sense of privacy when I hear Jasper say loud enough for us to hear, "Wish me luck, guys. I'm going in."

"Hey Jasper?" I call out to him.

His eyebrows pull upwards as he looks at me through the rearview mirror. "Yes, Bella?"

I try to smile at him. "Try not to get into any troubles, Ok? I don't think this one's gonna let me breathe oxygen if you get into trouble," I say, pointing at Alice with my thumb.

He grins and kisses a now blushing Alice. "She's the one who's keeping me motivated to do this in the first place. So relax. I intend to get out of there in one piece."

Alice pushes his baseball cap up just a little bit to see his eyes and gives him a mock glare. "You better, mister."

"Yes, ma'am," he responds before getting out of the car and walking toward the van trademarked with the landscaping company Esme started on trial basis after her retirement from their firm.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

We all sit in silence as we watch Jasper drive away in the van. Even when the van is out of our sights, the silence continues. That is until Emmett decides to open that stupid mouth of his. "Don't worry, Al pacino, it's a beautiful day to spend outside. He'll soak up a lot of vitamin K," he says before frowning. "Or is it D? This is why I hated biology in school."

"That's vitamin D, Em," I correct him, actually welcoming the little distraction he's providing.

"Oh good! See I thought so …"

Emmett's words cut off when a loud sob escapes Alice's lips before she places a hand on her mouth, probably hoping to keep the sounds buried inside her chest.

_Oh fuck!_ I curse in my head as I get out of the car and climb into the backseat with her. "Alice?"

The sound of my voice seems to bring her out of her sudden stupor and she launches herself at me, gripping my arms tightly as she cried her heart out. Helplessly, I hug her to me and pat her back, having no past experience with a crying Alice.

I don't say anything to her because I know that nothing I say is gonna make the sacrifice she's making for the case feel easier because I've lived through the same experience, and trust me when I say that nothing helps in this time … except seeing the man you love walk out of the mob headquarters unharmed.

Emmett makes a low groaning noise before following my suit and joining us in the backseat. Together, we sit huddled in a jumble of limbs as we try to console our best friend all the while telling ourselves that Jasper's gonna be okay.

When her can get her breathing under control, Alice grasps my hand in hers and whispers to me, "He said he loves me, Bell. He said it … just before getting out of the car."

"And?" I prompt, knowing that the only way to keep her from crying her eyes out is to keep her talking.

She wipes off another teardrop that escapes her eyes and says, "I love him too. I mean, how could I not, you know?"

Emmett squeezes her shoulder as he smiles at her. "Did you tell him that?"

She shakes her head. "No, I didn't get a chance. I'm gonna tell him the moment he comes out though." She remains silent for a long moment before she asks quietly, "He _is_ gonna come back, isn't he?"

I roll my eyes at her and shove her shoulder little playfully. "Of course he will. He's pretending to be a landscaper though; so don't be surprised if you see a rose bush in the shape of your head in there."

That makes her laugh a little and I hug her tighter, asking God to not to make me out to be a liar.

That's when we hear a low beeping sound coming from Jasper's transmitter.

_Oh shit!_

**A/N: So … thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review. :)**

**Thanks for reading.**

**I've got another fic rec for you today. I'm not sure if I've rec'd this before, but double rec won't hurt because this fic is A-MAZING! This is a story written by an author who inspired me to be brave and put my words out there for everyone to read. My dear friend, Savannavansmutsmut gives you a story of changing hearts … a story that will surely reel you in and keep you waiting for the next chapter. It's a WIP, but one of the best ones I'm reading right now. It's called A Life Unplanned.**

**Summary: ****Bella was doing fine raising her son on her own. That was, until her mother convinced her that her son should have a sibling. Not wanting her kids to have different fathers and look like a slut, she tracks down Edward Cullen, man-whore extraordinaire and father of her son, unbeknownst to him. It's been years, and Edward has changed a lot or has he and will his past catch up to him.**

**Go on and give it a try, tell her hi from me if you do.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	76. Chapter-76: Butter

**A/N: Let's go and see about that beeping now, shall we? Someone felt like saying hello to you guys for being such sweethearts. :)**

**Chapter-76: Butter**

**Word Prompt: **Butter

**Plot Generator—Idea Completion: **Tomorrow is another day.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The sound of a low beep comes from somewhere to my right just as I'm setting my feet down on the carefully mowed lawn.

The beeping doesn't stop though; no, instead, it happens again, then again and then keeps on going until it's a continuous beep, sounding very much like a fire alarm.

Closing the van door quickly, I look around; trying to figure out where the fuck this beeping noise from hell is coming from. For a heart-stopping moment, I wonder if they have some sort of anti-bug alarm system placed in here and whether or not it's been set off by my transmitter.

As the sound continues to ring through the grounds, I start to panic, and I'm almost about to rip out the transmitter Alice placed on me when suddenly I'm being hosed down.

If you're thinking that I'm exaggerating, then think again. Water jets—five of them—attack me from different sides, immediately wetting my fake monogrammed uniform.

"Oh fuck! Sorry about that, man," a voice finally calls out from under a bubble gum pink umbrella bobbing its way toward me.

The owner of the voice stops about a few feet away from me and then leans down to pull on a latch. Immediately the water jets shut off, and I can finally take a breath.

The pink umbrella continues to make its way to me until it's hovering right in front of me. And I get a glimpse of the person carrying it—a man barely five feet in height with dirty blond hair, smiling sheepishly up at me. "Sorry, man, really. I had no idea that the guys who installed the lawn sprinkler had left it turned on when they were done," he tells me.

_Lawn sprinkler? Lawn fucking Sprinkler? Really?_ I feel like giving him a solid noggie for doing this, but I resist the urge. After all, these people were carrying guns since before they were probably even out of school.

The man isn't deterred by the glower I aim at him though. Instead, he says politely, "You must be from the landscaping company? I'm Demitri."

"Jasper," I respond, running a hand over my face to wipe away the water. "And yes, I'm from Platt's Playground."

"Cool name," he says and then turns around before I can ask him which name he finds so cool—mine or the fake landscapers. "Come with me. Marcus is waiting for you to meet with him."

I try my best to look confused as I ask, "Marcus?"

He nods. "Yes, he's one of our three bosses. He's my boss actually. He's the one who's so interested in the landscaping and shit."

I follow him as he leads me into the big ass house all the while chattering about Marcus and his love for all kinds of plants.

"We're trying to get our hands on Venus Fly Traps now. I mean he isn't even bothered by the viciousness of them ..." I half-listen to Demitri's babbling as I realize that fate has handed me the perfect weapon to find out more about the targets—or as Alice calls them, The Brotherhood. All I need to do is butter up little ol' Demitri and he'll be spilling all their secrets to my listening ears.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The brief meeting with Marcus Volturi is very different from what I expected. He's not arrogant, ruthless or even has a single kind of weapon around him. He seems genuinely interested in making the place look beautiful.

On an offhand note, I mention wanting to take a few photos of the place to add to my portfolio, and to my utter shock, he agrees after considering it for a couple of moments.

He asks me to take the day off when he notices that I'm soaked to the bone because of those damn sprinklers, and with thanks, I accept his offer.

As he walks me back to the van, Demitri apologizes once more for the wretched lawn sprinkler. I wave him off because tomorrow is another day for me ... a day I wish to utilize fully to find out any and everything I can about these horrible people. Right now though, I need to get out of here and find my girl so that I can kiss her breath away.

Just after I hear the sound of the heavy metal doors closing behind me, I let out a sigh of relief. Meeting one is now down and I think I've found the perfect source for information.

_Alice will be proud._

**A/N: Anyone guessed what might that sound be? What did you think of Demitri with his bubblegum pink umbrella? Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to vote for the Fanatic Fanfics Multifandom Awards. The results for the fist round voting is up and The Perfect Light is still in the running for the Favorite Sci-fi Fanfic. Second round voting is now open. Check out the link below and vote for your favorite.**

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**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	77. Chapter-77: Tree, Free, Glee

**A/N: I'm glad you guys liked Demitri's style. Now on to the next dream. :)**

**Chapter-77: Tree, Free, Glee**

**Word Prompts: ** Tree, free, glee

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I sit back and enjoy the scene unfolding before my eyes.

My best friend cowers away as his just about five feet tall girlfriend pokes him in the chest with her fingers … repeatedly. "Don't just stand here like a mute fucking tree," she yells at him. "Take it back. Take it BACK! You're not going anywhere near that place again. I'm not going to let you. Promise me."

He takes a few steps back and opens his mouth but quickly closes it when she lets out a groan of frustration. "It was my fault. I suggested that they haven't seen your face yet. I …" she stops talking, her voice breaking a little in the end.

Jasper rushes back to her and wraps his arms around her, resisting when she pushes against his chest to free herself from his embrace in obvious anger. "Alice, calm down, baby," he starts, which apparently is the wrong thing to say because Alice's control seems to slip at his words and she starts crying inconsolably.

He throws a bewildered look in my way mouthing, "What did I do now?" to me, and I just shrug because truth be told, Alice kinda still scared me whenever I remember the way she had threatened me the first time we met.

Alice continues crying as she hugs Jasper closer to herself, keeping a death-grip on his arm as if she's afraid that he'll disappear any minute. Slowly, her sobbing subsides and she looks up at Jasper. "I'm sorry I made you go there. I didn't expect how scary this will feel … to see you walk into that hellhole. I just never guessed that … that …" she stutters and then stops to take a deep breath before continuing. "I'll fall for you."

Four seconds. That's how long it takes for Jasper to go from looking scared for his life to absolutely gleeful. He doesn't even bother to speak before he grabs her face in his hands and kisses her.

Bella, who has been sitting on my lap and watching all these unfold before our eyes, shifts, looking over her shoulder to find my eyes. "Maybe we should give them a little privacy?" she whispers to me.

I nod because judging by the way Jasper is tugging Alice down the hallway to the room he's been staying in for the last few months, we might even end up needing noise-cancelling earphones if we were to give them a total sense of privacy.

Bella leaps off from my lap and holds her hand out to me. Wordlessly, I take it and let her take me to my bedroom. She lets go of my hand when we reach there, closes the door behind her and then pushes on my chest until the back of my legs hit the bed and I plop down on it.

Without wasting another moment, she climbs back onto my lap, cuddling into my chest as she kisses my neck before making her way to my lips.

My hand grips the back of her neck as I kiss her back. When we break our kiss, I move my hand to hold it against her warm cheek. "Baby, what is it?" I ask her.

She smiles at me. "Nothing."

"It didn't feel like nothing," I counter, searching her eyes for the answer to my question because to me, that kiss felt like it was filled with desperation.

Her smile falls and she starts playing with the collar of my shirt as she seems to gather her thoughts. Then she speaks to me. "I saw how broken Alice looked when we heard that beeping noise and thought that Jasper has gotten caught," she says quietly. "It scared me, Edward."

"That's understandable," I say. "She's your best friend and …"

She starts to shake her head, making me stop talking, and then she slips a hand in my hair as she looks into my eyes. "I was afraid of just thinking how I would've felt if we were in their place. And that made me realize something."

I quirk an eyebrow at her, silently asking her what her epiphany was.

"I realized that I don't want to lose even a second of time I can spend with you. Life is too short to be filled with regrets about lost time."

"What are you saying, Bella?" I ask.

Taking a deep breath, she answers. "After this case is over, I'm gonna move out of the apartment I share with Alice," she stops to take a breath, and I wait with my heart lodged in my throat for her to continue. "If I live alone, then you'll be able to spend more time at my place."

"Hmm … I gotta admit that your plan has merit," I say.

She frowns, probably detecting the contradictory tone of my voice. "But?"

"But," I elaborate, watching her face closely. "I'd really like to spend more time with you … in _our_ place."

Her eyes widen and a soft gasp escapes her. "Our place?" she questions. "A place that belongs to both of us?"

"Yes, ma'am," I respond.

She remains silent for a moment and then crashes her lips to mine, kissing me hungrily, as we both tumble down on the bed. "I'd love nothing more," she finally whispers against my lips.

"Not even me?" I ask just to see the happiness light up her eyes. As it turns out that I'm wrong though because her eyes don't light up at my question, her whole face does.

She shakes her head. "Nothing can top you, Pretty Boy," she tells me before kissing me again.

_Yeah, I'm a lucky bastard._

**A/N: I thought a little reprieve from the last two serious chapters was in order.**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	78. Chapter-78: Speech

**A/N: Hi, guys! *waves* Sorry I missed posting last night.**

**Chapter-78: Speech**

**Word Prompt: **Speech

**Dialogue Flex: **"Looks like a good day for a picnic."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I try not to scowl at my dad as he keeps on talking about lack of sense of propriety and overall modesty in peeing in public.

Thankfully, my mom comes to my rescue and stops him mid-speech. She marches right into the living room and gives him an exasperated look. "Don't you think that you've said enough, Charlie?" she asks him.

He barely spares her a glance as he waves a hand dismissively. "I've barely said anything about that boy, Reneé. He's rude, arrogant, self-centered and …"

I can't take it anymore. The way he keeps talking about Edward hurts me. I stand up from my seat on the couch and glare at him. "He's a good man, dad. He _respects_ me. He …" I stop for a moment to dash away the teardrops making their way down my cheeks before continuing. "He's important to me, dad."

I see him open his mouth, and realize that I don't want to hear what he's going to say. So I take a deep breath and say quietly, "I need some air." And then without letting either of them say another word, I step out of the kitchen door and get to the backyard.

As I feel the air brushing against my heated cheeks, I wish I could be with Edward instead of here.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The sound of the door opening and closing makes my back stiffen for just a moment before I realize that the footsteps are too light to belong to my father.

My mother lets out a soft sigh before sitting down beside me on the steps leading down to the backyard. "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" she asks.

All I can do in answer is nod because I'm still feeling too angry and hurt by my father's words to say anything.

She sits in silence for a moment and then says, "It looks like a good day for a picnic. Wanna join your mom for a picnic, kiddo?"

When she nudges my shoulder with hers, I glance at her and ask, "Just us girls?"

She smiles. "Just us girls," she confirms.

"Okay."

I'm a little surprised when she stands up and pulls the blanket resting on the back of the porch swing with her and then proceeds to lay it down in the middle of our backyard. Holding a finger up in the universal sign for 'just a moment', she goes inside the house only to exit in a matter of seconds.

She comes out carrying two bottles of sodas and a bag of popcorn. "Picnic food?" she states with a smile as she goes to sit down on the blanket. A surprised smile takes over my face as I walk over to join her.

When I plop down beside her, she offers me the popcorn and then says slowly, "Honey, your dad loves you. You know that, don't you?"

I swallow the lump that comes immediately back to my throat. "I know, Mom. I love him too, but he's wrong about Edward."

She tilts her head to the side and looks at my face carefully—as if trying to read a book. After a long moment of silence, she says, "You said that he's important to you."

"He is," I answer truthfully.

"How important?"

I take a deep breath and let it out before responding to her question. "He's everything, Mom. He respects me for who I am. He takes care of me. He … he loves me," I say, the last words coming out in a barely-audible whisper. "He makes me feel _adored_."

When she doesn't say anything after my confession, I look up to see her beaming at me. "And how do you feel about him, Bella?"

"I …" I stop to think for a moment before pouring my heart to my mother. "I see a future with him, Mom. I love him."

This time, her smile is teary as she pulls me into a hug. "I'm so happy that you're happy, baby girl," she whispers to me.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

**I miss you. ~Bella**

**Then hurry back to me, beautiful. I need to tell you something important. ~Edward**

I frown at his text message as I sit on my parents' porch by myself; my mind already running through various possible scenarios that might've been important for him to share with me. I quickly type out another message to him.

**What is it? ~Bella**

His response makes me relax and puts a big smile on my face.

**Just that I love you. ~Edward**

**You're such a sap. ~Bella.**

**You love the sap, baby. Wait. That didn't sound perverted, did it? ~Edward**

I'm laughing by the time I finish reading his text. I'm about to respond to him when the sound of a throat clearing catches my notice.

He looks at me and then at the cell phone in my hands. "Is that him?" he asks, his voice unusually gruff.

I nod, not even bothering to answer verbally.

"You look happy," he observes.

This time, I shrug. "He makes me happy."

"Hmph," he huffs, and I decide that I need to be open with him if I want him to see Edward as anything other than the guy who peed on his car.

Taking a deep breath, I start talking. "Dad, I know you hate him for what happened when you first met him, but he went out and got a few drinks with his friends. Is that so different from what you do with Harry every other weekend? Yeah, he probably shouldn't have peed on your car …"

"Peed?" he scoffs. "His act was also one of public indecency."

I shoot him a look which thankfully, quiets him down and then I continue. "I guess it was a lack of foresight on his part, but what you're doing right now, is the same thing."

"What? I'm not doing anything!" he protests.

I shake my head. "You're labeling him as a rude and arrogant guy with a drinking problem without even getting to know him fully. That sounds like a case of lack of foresightedness to me. He's a good man, Dad. He means a lot to me. Please try to keep an open mind about him."

He closes his eyes and sighs in resignation. "If he really makes you happy then fine. I'll try to be nicer to him _if_ I see him again."

I let his jibe with the _if_ slide for now and instead say, "Thank you," finally allowing a smile to come onto my face.

The phone in my hand pings with another incoming message from Edward and I start to get moving. As I'm walking past him, dad mumbles in a low voice, "As long as he doesn't go anywhere near my cruiser, I'll try not to shoot his punk ass."

That's when I make a promise to myself. In the event of my father treating Edward badly in the future, that piece of junk will have to pay.

_If you wanna shoot my punk ass boyfriend, dad, I'm gonna wreck your junk of a car,_ I promise him silently.

**A/N: So thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you later.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	79. Chapter-79: Pretentious

**A/N: Hi! Ready for a new dream?**

**WARNING: The content on this chapter might be a little sensitive to some readers. So approach with caution. Oh and maybe keep a few tissue papers at hand?**

**Chapter-79: Pretentious**

**Word Prompt: **Pretentious

**Plot Generator—Binding Blurb:** In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about **leaving the past behind.**

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Rose, let it go," I say to my sister again as I watch silent teardrops sliding down her cheeks. "Please, Rose, don't think of that pretentious bastard anymore. He's not worth it."

She raises her head, hatred coloring her features. "_Him?_ I don't care about him, Edward … not anymore. I've got Emmett now."

"Exactly!" I say, grasping at the opportunity to make her see that her future isn't so bleak anymore. "That guy loves you, sis."

"It's not about him."

_What?_

Before I can voice my confusion, I'm silenced by a look from my mom … a look that tells me to let her takeover. I oblige immediately because even though I love my sister, her tears are very hard for me to endure.

"Rose, honey," mom starts. "Tell me what's wrong."

The sound of her voice seems to break the last dam holding the emotions at bay, and suddenly, Rosalie is crying—heartbreakingly loud sobs escape her as she hugs mom tightly. Mom tries to soothe her and urges her to tell us what's bothering her. But Rosalie keeps on crying, her knuckles turning white with the effort to keep her hold on our mother.

Finally, she sniffles and says, "I'm scared, Mom. What if it happens again?"

"You think Emmett will cheat on you?" mom asks, a frown taking over her face.

"N-no …"

I cut off Rose's answer as I take her hand and say, "I promise you, Rose, if he even dares to shift his focus from you for half a second, he'll have to answer to me."

My words bring a teary-smile on her face. She squeezes my hand and replies, "Bella has already offered to castrate him if he does that."

I can't help but feel proud of my girl. "That's my girl."

Mom smiles at me and opens her mouth to speak when Rose blurts out the reason behind her tears. "I'm afraid that I won't be able to have children."

We both freeze at her admission. Thankfully, mom is the first one to gather her thoughts. "Honey, that's not true. You've had tests done …"

"Yes, and I had them done before," Rose counters. "We don't know for sure if I can be a mother."

Seeing the telltale signs of tears appearing on her face, I move to crouch down in front of her and take both of her hands in mine. "Rose," I tell her. "You _will_ be a mother. Hell, you baby me so much that sometimes I feel like I have two moms, not one."

She smiles at my remark, and I reach up to wipe away the teardrops still clinging to her skin. "You need to leave the past behind and move forward with Emmett, sis," I say.

"And if, by any case, your fears come true, I promise that I'll to find a kid for you whom you can spoil with your love." We all turn around to see Emmett standing in the doorway with his arms open for Rose. She gasps and then she's out of her seat and in his arms. Seeing them, I feel like maybe my sister is becoming whole again … because of the drag-queen, Emmett.

**A/N: Thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**The voting for Fanatic Fanfics Awards closes in a few hours. So go and vote if you haven't done so yet. I'm up for Favorite Sci-fi Fanfiction for The Perfect Light.**

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**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	80. Chapter-80: Graduation

**A/N: Happy dreaming. ;)**

**Chapter-80: Graduation**

**Word Prompt: **Graduation

**Dialogue Flex: **"I'm so proud of you!"

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Do you remember our graduation day? The sight of hundreds of graduation caps falling from the sky and our parents hugging us tightly while saying with teary eyes, "I'm so proud of you!"? Today, I feel like one of those proud parents," Alice says after Emmett finishes telling us how much he wished he could take away the hurt of loss from Rosalie's eyes earlier that day.

I snort at the way Emmett reacts to this. He looks at Alice like she's just sprouted another head.

"Squirt, are you feeling okay?" he asks, putting a hand on her forehead and pretending to take her temperature.

She swats his hand away and scowls at him. "Did you see that, Swan?" she asks me, pointing an accusatory finger at my cousin. "Every time. Every fucking time I try to be nice to this space-hoarder, he pops the bubble of my good mood just like that," she rants, pretending to pop an imaginary bubble with her index finger.

"Excuse me? What did you just call me?" Emmett interrupts.

She gives him a '_stop fucking with me_' look and answers through gritted teeth, "A space hoarder. I called you a space hoarder because the space you occupy by simply standing can fit at least ten normal-sized people."

"Sure," he retorts with a dramatic eye-roll. "If by normal-sized you mean pint-sized like you, Pokétch."

"Okay!" I call out loudly to shut them both up and then look at Emmett. "Em, what the fuck is a Pokétch?"

He grins widely. "I'm glad you asked," he says and taps the file we're supposed to be studying twice before continuing. "You remember how I loved to watch the cartoon, Pokémon, when we were kids?"

"You were watching it last Sunday, Emmett," I deadpan.

He waves a hand to let that little bit of truth slide away as he says, "Whatever. The origin of the word Pokémon is the words Pocket and Monster. So I came up with a new word for Pocket-witch." He stops and gives Alice a mock salute. "Pokétch."

"You fucking jerk!" Alice cries out right before throwing herself at him and poking him in the ribs—the one spot we know he's ticklish.

Emmett guffaws as he tries to shove her off of him. "Dude, stop it! Remember you're proud of me today."

"Fuck that shit. I'm not proud of you anymore," she answers as she keeps on tickling him mercilessly.

I sit back and enjoy the show for a while until a voice speaks from behind me. "You know, Swan, you could at least _try_ to keep them from fighting for a change."

I school my expression to one of seriousness for a moment as I turn to find Eleazar standing behind me with an exasperated look on his face. His exasperation makes me laugh as I shrug. "I'm just a field agent, boss," I tell him with a one-fingered salute. "I can't do the impossible."

He chuckles at my response and claps his hands to gain attention from the two wrestling clowns. "Agents, if you're done clawing each other's brains out, can I have your attention please?"

Finally, Emmett and Alice settle down and face Eleazar with identical expressions on their faces. "Sorry, sir," Alice says sheepishly.

He shakes his head in a resigned manner and says, "I'm not even going to ask what that was about. Instead, I'll ask you to join the rest of the team in the briefing room in ten minutes."

We all exchange quizzical looks before following him to be briefed.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Today, we've found a new player in the game, people," Eleazar starts without any preamble. "Agent Symonds has been keeping tabs on who the head of the Brotherhood, Aro Volturi, meets for a week now, and she's finally made a breakthrough." He nods at Kora, gesturing her to take the floor.

Kora stands up and quickly punches a few keys on the keyboard resting in front of her before starting to talk. "As you already know the leaders of the Brotherhood, I'm not going to repeat any of that. I'll just add that Aro Volturi is the most boring mobster in the history of organized crime—in my opinion." Everyone laughs at her uncharacteristically humorous remark.

The change in the mood seems to boost her confidence as she offers us a rare smile in return. "The new player—as Eleazar called him—is the attorney in charge of all of Aro's personal legal affairs," she says before reaching for a button and pressing it. Immediately, a face appears on the projector screen, showing us the face of a rather ferret-like man. His expensive-looking suit coupled with the thin thread-like mustache gives him a sly appearance.

Kora points to the screen and says, "This man here is Aro's most trusted man and his attorney—Royce King."

I feel like my jaw is about to hit the floor as soon as the name registers in my mind. And then I hear Emmett whisper from beside me, "When we take these assholes down leave that son of a bitch for me."

Before I can say anything in response Alice whispers back, "With pleasure."

_Royce King, you better watch out_, I think as I focus again at the photo in front of us, finally having a face to pin all those hatred to.

**A/N: Thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review. :)**

**Thanks for reading.**

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**Take care.**

**Ann**


	81. Chapter-81: Horde, Lord, Cord

**A/N: Happy reading. :)**

**Chapter-81: Horde, Lord, Cord**

**Word Prompts: ** Horde, lord, cord

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The single most annoying sound in the world pulls me out of the fuckawesome dream I was having.

_Oh Lord! Not now!_

I try to tune the sound out and go back to sleep when I feel my pillow move from underneath me. I don't allow it to move much though; I hold on tighter and snuggle further in. That's when I hear the giggle.

Sweet and mesmerizing.

_Bella._

As if she can hear my thoughts, she strokes my hair with her fingers and calls my name softly. "Edward? Baby? I need to get up."

I shake my head and tighten my arms around her. "Not really. It's Sunday," I respond in a hoarse voice before preparing to go back to sleep.

She moves, jolting my head off of its comfy pillow—her chest. "Unfortunately, Pretty Boy, I need to take the call."

Grumpily, I sit up, complaining about these hordes of cockblockers she works with. I allow her to sit up, and glare at the annoying piece of technology in her hand that has woken me up from my very interesting dream.

Bella kisses my lips, efficiently stopping the fake pout I'm working on, and reaches for my hand. She entwines our fingers as she calls back whoever the fuck woke us up this morning.

"Eleazar, hey," she greets the person on the other end. "No, no, it's fine. What is it?"

She listens to the response from the other side and scrunches up her eyebrows. "Today? Can't it wait till tomorrow?"

A moment of silence from my girl follows, and then she lets out a resigned sigh. "All right. I'll meet you guys in an hour."

Just as she hangs up, I tug on her hand. She smiles at me and comes to snuggle into my embrace. For a moment, I enjoy holding her to me, simply breathing her in before asking her, "You gotta go?"

She bites her lip and nods guiltily. "I'm so sorry, baby," she says.

"But it's Sunday …" I can't help but complain weakly.

She sighs and kisses my jaw before looking at me from beneath her eyelashes. "I promise to make it up to you when I get back."

"You better," I tell her and then pull her in for a real kiss before she has to go to work.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Bella stays gone for two hours before she comes back to me. The moment I open the door, I know there's something wrong with her. Her stance looks like her nerves are stretched like cords and the smile she offers me doesn't completely reach her eyes.

"Bella? What's wrong?" I ask, grabbing her arm and pulling her into my apartment.

She stays quiet as she lets me pull her toward the living room and plops down next to me when I sit down on the couch. I give her a few moments to collect her thoughts before opening my mouth. But before I can utter a single word, she says, "I need to go to the field."

_What the hell did she just say?_

"What was that?" I ask, unable to hide the stiffening of my body.

She takes my hand and squeezes until I meet her eyes. "We've got a tip," she says quietly. "There's gonna be a party in the Brotherhood's place and they are recruiting wait-staff from an agency we have on our side."

"No!" The word is out of my mouth as soon as it registers in my mind just how dangerous it is going to be. "Just … no!"

She stops, bites her lip and then takes a deep breath before starting again. "Edward, it's a part of my job. I'm a field agent. According to our intel, a big deal will go down at this party. We need to be there just in case we get something to bring the Brotherhood down."

"There are plenty other FBI agents out there," I insist. "Use any of them. Why is Emmett letting you risk yourself?"

Her answering smile is sardonic as she shakes her head. "He offered to go at first, but apparently, the Volturi's asked for all female wait-staff."

"Alice …"

She holds a hand up to stop me mid-way. "She's gonna be there with me. Three agents including myself are going in. I'll have Alice and Angela, Ben's girl, right there with me beside another agent," she says firmly.

"I just …" I start, but can't find the words to finish my thought.

She understands though like she does always. Kissing my cheek, she whispers, "I'll be on my guard, I promise."

Looking into her eyes, I ask, "You promise you'll come back to me?"

A smile slowly spreads on her face as she nears my lips. "Like I have a choice," she remarks before kissing me.

I feel a desperation in her kiss and I hope with everything in me that I'm simply imagining things.

**A/N: Before you guys get worried, there's not gonna be any angst in this story. It's written in good fun and it will continue to be so. Trust me.**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review. :)**

**Thanks for reading.**

**I'd like to recommend a completed fic today named, **_**Sea Salt**_** by **_**SparrowNotes24**_**. It's a refreshing and beautifully written story. Give it a try. :)**

_**Summary: **_**Describe yourself in three words. That's how I found myself beside the ocean, with sea salt tangled hair, sun kissed by a boy who showed me the answers. The boy in the shadows. The boy in the shade.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	82. Chapter-82: Mortality

**A/N: Ready for another dream? Let's get to it. ;)**

**Chapter-82: Mortality**

**Word Prompt**: Mortality

**Audio-Visual Challenge—Imagined Image**: Graduation caps being thrown skyward.

View the image and write whatever comes to you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I stand in line with Alice and Kora as we await the final briefing before we're to set out for our mission. I see Angela waiting for her briefing at the other corner of the nearly empty room. The way she keeps her eyes trained on the ground in front of her makes it seem like she's freaking out, and I feel bad for the girl.

"Guys, I'll be right back," I tell Alice and Kora before heading off toward Angela. The moment she sees me, I see her stance relaxing just a little bit.

"Hey," I greet her.

She lets out a relieved sigh as she walks a few steps to meet me. "Bella! I don't know what's happening. I just received a call from Agent Clearwater asking me to meet her at an appointed place. When I went there, she asked me to get inside her car and drove me here. I haven't seen or heard from her since."

I frown. "How long have you been standing here alone?"

She checks her watch and answers, "About half an hour or so. What's going on?"

Silently, I curse Leah Clearwater for leaving the poor girl alone and for being the worst C.I. handler I've ever seen. Apologizing to Angela on Leah's behalf, I place a reassuring hand on her shoulder and say, "Try not to worry too much, yeah? I'm right here with you ... along with a few other agents."

She casts a look around her and asks in an unconvinced voice, "But where exactly is _here_?"

"That bitch!" I hear Alice curse from behind me, and turning around, I see that she and Kora have joined us in the corner.

Well, I guess it's time to welcome our number one asset to the Headquarters.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"So you want me to go to their place with you?" I can almost hear the unspoken _"Are you out of your freaking mind?"_ that Angela has the decency to withhold.

Kora rolls her eyes, disinterested as usual, as she replies to her question. "It's more of a question of need than want, Ms. Webber."

Angela scoffs, probably still having a hard time believing us. "I get that I've been useful in keeping tabs on the Volturis, but even I'm not that important to be taken to the FBI Headquarters," she insists. "There must've been some mistake."

Placing a hand on her shoulder, I try to calm her down. "Angela, there hasn't been a mistake …"

Of course, Kora decides to cut me off mid-sentence as she bluntly asks Angela, "Answer me this. Have you been a C.I. for the FBI for the last eight months?"

Angela nods.

"And were you the one who found out about the party at the Brotherhood's place tonight and alerted her handler?"

Angela looks at me and says, "Agent Swan used to be my handler until Agent Clearwater was assigned to me. So I shared the information with her."

I nod my assent, remembering how I had to hand Angela over to Leah when I was assigned Katarina.

"You did the right thing, Angela," Alice says. "And since you're a known face to the Brotherhood. They trust you as one of their own. So we're requesting you to accompany us to their house tonight."

Angela looks resigned as she asks, "You say that you're _requesting_ it, but from what Agent Clearwater hinted, I didn't seem to have much of a choice other than to come here."

"Even if you don't agree to accompany us," I say. "You'd have been brought in just in case they found out that you're an asset for us."

Kora waves me away as she tells Angela, "Look at it this way. Over the past few years, the mortality rate for FBI agents surpasses the rate of C.I. deaths. So we're gonna try our best to keep you alive."

I can't help but smile a little seeing the forever cynic Kora try to be reassuring for a change ... in her own way.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Ladies," Eleazar says as he stands in front of us, looking at us with an expression of pride on his face. "I think I speak for the whole Bureau when I say that I'm extremely proud of you for stepping up to take on this job."

He nods at Garrett, our tech expert, who starts talking immediately as if he's been keeping the words suppressed inside him for a long time. "All of you have been fitted with small transmission devices equipped with a mouthpiece, earpieces and GPS trackers. So we'll know exactly where you are every minute you're in there. There's also a panic button in the device just in case you feel the need to call for backup."

He stops to take a breath and then offers us a nervous smile. "Good luck, Agents."

Alice and I speak at the same time. "Thank you, Gar …"

That's when Kora in true Kora fashion says, "Cut it out, people. We're not going to war for Christ's sake! The next thing we know, everyone will be throwing their imaginary hats in the air and giving us a standing ovation. It's just a small job, Gar. Chill out."

Her sudden outburst lifts the tension that's been hanging around us since we all got called in in the morning and we exchange smiles with the rest of our teammates before heading off to meet the Volturis for the first time.

**A/N: Thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Since there's gonna be Redemption of A Lost Soul update tomorrow, there won't be a dream for you tomorrow. So see you Saturday. :)**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	83. Chapter-83: Landscape

**A/N: Hey, everyone. *waves* Just a word of advice: you better fasten your seatbelts. ;)**

**Chapter-83: Landscape**

**Word Prompt: **Landscape

**Plot Generator—Phrase Catch: **Honesty is the best policy.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Standing in my parent's porch, I feel the wind leave my lungs as I stare at the landscape. Suddenly it feels like my knees are about to give out … like my world is wildly spiraling out of control.

I close my eyes and ask God, _why?_

My mind goes back to earlier that day when I had woken up to my beautiful girl draped across my chest.

_My Bella._

Although we couldn't enjoy our day off, much to my chagrin, but the news she returned with after her meeting at the FBI Headquarters filled us with worries.

She needs to go to the field … to the base of all ACM Brotherhood operations ... undercover.

I spent the rest of the day with my arms wrapped around her … savoring her, memorizing the feeling of having her this close.

When I said goodbye to her later, I hadn't expected to receive this call from Emmett.

Clutching the phone in my hand, I feel like I can still hear the words he said just minutes ago … repeated in a never-ending sequence in my head.

_**An hour into the mission, we lost communication with them.**_

_**We don't know where they are.**_

_**We're trying to get back in contact.**_

_**They're GPS tracking device lost signal.**_

I hate the feeling that threatens to close up my throat and suffocate me. I need my Bella to be able to breathe again. She has to be okay, I tell myself again and again because the alternative isn't something I want to focus on … ever.

After she left my place in the morning, I thought that being close to my parents will help me tone down the anxiety. But now, with her out of contact, I don't know what I'm even doing.

In the back of my mind I hear her soft voice imploring me to keep my cool and to not let this break me. She needs me to be strong. _She needs me to be strong for her_, I repeat the words in my mind as I feel my resolve harden.

_I'm not gonna sit around and wait for news to come._

_I need to help her._

_She needs me._

_Bella needs me._

I try to map out the best course of action to help her. She has three people she seems to trust with her life.

Alice, her best friend, is right there with her and all I can do is hope to God that she's doing everything she can to keep my girl safe.

Emmett, her cousin, is in the FBI headquarters, working with the agents to get her back on the grid.

As for me?

All the people I know are civilians; hardly someone to be asked to help out in fighting the mob. That leaves just one person.

I cringe at what he's gonna say when I give him the news. For a moment, I debate over whether I should ask him to simply locate her GPS signal and not divulge the full information.

Even in this bleak moment, I find myself scoffing at the idea. _Yeah, he'll help me alright because he's my number one fan._

Honesty is the best policy, I decide at last. I'm gonna tell him the truth and pray that he doesn't come over to shoot my ass.

Before I can chicken out from doing so, I dial the number Bella gave me just in case. The phone rings … once … twice and then …

"Who's this?" a gruff voice answers.

I try to swallow the lump in my throat and answer, "Sir, this is Edward Cullen. I uh … I need your help."

There's silence on the line before he starts yelling. "You've really got some nerve, boy. You piss on my car, steal my baby girl and now you're calling me for _help_? Are you that delusional? You …"

I don't let him continue as I cut him off mid-screech. "Charlie," I say, calling him something other than 'sir' for the first time. "It's Bella … she's missing in action."

**A/N: *peeks from behind fingers* I love you guys, remember? This is the height of the angst as it's gonna get. Trust me.**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	84. Chapter-84: Stuffed Animal

**A/N: Everyone still here with me? Let's hear from Mystery Girl. ;)**

**Chapter-84: Stuffed Animal**

**Word Prompt: **Stuffed animal

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

After being pushed into the kitchen to help out with the preparations for tonight, we're left pretty much without a constant eye to watch over us. To avoid raising any suspicion, we pretend to throw ourselves into the works assigned to us. Alice even goes on to whine about being hired only to wait the tables and not to help in the kitchen.

Angela, who's supposed to be the intermediary for us to be hired, comes over to calm down Alice. Standing between Alice and me, she whispers, "Felix might come down here to talk us through our work, whatever you do, don't stare. He hates that."

"Stare at what?" I ask. "Who's Felix?"

"Felix is some_one_'s name?" Alice asks in an urgent whisper. "Sounds like the name of a venereal disease."

Our questions are answered before Angela has the chance to respond. The catering people working around us suddenly go quiet as sound of heavy footfalls echo in the hallway leading to the kitchen. And then Felix enters the kitchen.

Looking at him, I find it hard to not to stare because if I were to answer Alice's question, Felix looks like one someone, but is the size of at least three persons.

"Wow. And here I thought giant stuffed animals are gaudy."

I have to bite my lips to keep from laughing at Alice's remark because with his orange sweater vest, yellow pants and leaf-green colored hat, Felix looks like one of those tawdry-looking teddy bears used as prizes in carnivals.

Felix doesn't bother to look at us though. He looks around the kitchen until his eyes fall on Kora, and then he smiles … all teeth showing and bright as a light smile. "Gia!" he calls out before walking over to Kora, picking her up and kissing her full on the mouth.

_What. The. Fuck?_

I hold my breath and wait for Kora to kick him in the nuts, but it doesn't happen. Instead, we hear girly giggles come from none other than Kora.

_Again, what the fuck?_

When he puts her down on the ground, she looks over her shoulder and gives us a glare, silently asking us to keep our mouths shut. Then she threads her arm through Felix's and leads him to us. "Honeybunch," she says to him in a saccharin sweet voice. "These are my roommates, my besties."

_Besties? Wow!_

Felix, the giant teddy bear, grins at us and says hi before noticing our uniforms. "What's up with the uniforms?" he asks Kora or Gia, whoever the fuck she is.

She waves a hand at Alice and says, "Oh this one's so obsessed with dressing up, you know? She made these for us."

A forced smile comes to his face as he gives Alice a half-hearted nod. "This is uh … nice and all, but babe, you need to match all the staff here," he tells Kora, pointing toward the kitchen filled with identically dressed people. "I have a few extra uniforms for you. I'll ask Jane to guide you." With another sloppy kiss on Kora's lips, he leaves us, standing with our jaws on the floor.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"So … Gia, huh?" I address the big fat elephant in the room as we all get changed into the slutty uniforms Jane hands us before leaving us to get dressed in a small room.

Kora glowers at me and says, "Shut it, Swan. It's my cover."

"Cover for what exactly?" Alice asks her.

Angela breaks her silence too and adds in, "It looked like Felix thinks that he's dating you or something."

"He _is_ dating me," Kora admits with a huff. "Or Gia, whatever you guys wanna believe." She avoids looking at us directly as she continues. "I wanted to be appreciated for once so I searched for who's the one the Volturis trust with all of their intel and that's how I found Felix."

The lightbulb goes on in my head, and I gasp. "This is how you've been getting so many accurate information lately."

She nodded. "I'm sorry I lied to everyone about this …"

Her apology is cut short by the sound of fists banging on the door, and Jane, Aro's personal maid, walks in. "I am to take you downstairs to get you started on your duties," she says.

When I reach down to pick up my discarded clothing, she says, "Leave those. I'll have people take care of those."

I open my mouth to protest, but Angela gives me an almost non-perceptible headshake. It's not good to ruffle feathers this early in the game, I understand.

We all file out of the room in resigned silence.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Almost an hour after joining the rest of the hired staff in the kitchen, I look for our original clothing, wanting to get our tracking devices back when Jane comes over. "Looking for something?"

I nod, trying to keep my composure as I answer. "Yes, our clothes. We'll need something to go home in, you know?"

"Right," she says with a wide smile. "I've sent them to be washed and ironed for when you're ready to leave," she replies, looking positive gleeful.

"Washed?" my voice cracks at the word.

She confirms her words with sharp nod before walking away.

_Washing means water which means all electronic devices will be screwed_, I think to myself. Finally, the reality comes crashing down on me that we've just lost our contact with the headquarter.

_We're so fucked!_

**A/N: Anyone saw that coming?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	85. Chapter-85: Crow

**A/N: Hi! A new voice wants to be heard today. ;)**

**Chapter-85: Crow**

**Word Prompt: **Crow

**Dialogue Flex: **"Come back and visit every once and a while."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Cullen!" I bark out at the boy standing just beyond my office door at the station. He looks up immediately and starts making his way to me.

He runs his hand through his hair … making it look even more of a crow's nest.

When he reaches me, he doesn't glance at the officers I've got around me. Instead, he asks quickly, "Did you find her? Where is she?"

Sadly, I shake my head. "No. Have you talked to Emmett?" I ask back.

He nods, his shoulders looking slumped at my response. "He's the one who told me about the situation," he replies quietly. "He said that they can't get a lock on her GPS."

"If the Feds can't get a lock …" I trail off.

"You can't either?" he asks.

With a shake of my head, I say, "Not likely."

"So there's no way to tell if she's … safe?" he asks again, the last word coming out as barely a whisper.

Steve, my deputy, pipes up from beside him, "Sir, we can monitor activities around the place if it helps?" He eyes the boy warily as he speaks.

Cullen looks at him with a hopeful look on his face. "You can do that?"

Steve nods slowly, his eyes trained on me. "It might be possible," he says. "If there's any traffic cams around the building, we can pull up the feeds and check for people entering and exiting the facility."

Cullen frowns at that. "How will that help us to know if she's okay?"

Steve hesitates for a moment before answering him. "If she hasn't been taken out of the building then that will mean that she's … safe."

_Alive_, I add in my head, understanding the reason behind his hesitation. _They won't keep a dead body in their place. They'll take it out for disposal, _my rational mind tells me while the father in me feels sick to his gut to think of his little girl as anything but safe.

Oblivious to my inner turmoil, Cullen nods along. "Do it," he says. When Steve doesn't move and keeps staring at me, he adds in a broken whisper, "Please. She might be trapped in there and I … save her, please."

After a curt nod from me, Steve gets a move on to get the traffic cam feeds pulled, taking a handful of officers with him for help.

When we're alone, I observe the boy standing across from me and realize that he's not the silly drunk punk I thought him to be when I saw him first. The restlessness in his stance, the way he keeps looking down at his hands as if hating his inability to play a more active role in this, confirms one suspicion of mine—he really does care for my Bells.

"Sit down, boy," I tell him, motioning to the chair next to him. "It's gonna take some time before they get any hits." If _they get any hits_, I add silently because even with latest facial recognition software at hand, picking up activities is a long shot at this point.

He shakes his head, declining my offer. "I'm fine."

I give him a stern look and say, "You're not fine, Cullen. Sit your ass down."

Instead of following my orders like a good little soldier, he glares at me. "How can you just sit there so calmly? She's your only child. She's missing and … fuck!"

Slamming my hands on my desk, I stand up, glowering back at him as I snap at him, "She's also tough as a nail. She's a smart kid. I taught my baby girl well. She's going to be just fine. Understood, boy?"

He doesn't back down at my angry tone of voice, instead he closes his eyes and says, "I hope so, Charlie. She has to be okay. She just has to …" He stops talking and drops onto the seat I pointed to earlier. His voice is a broken whisper when he says, "She's my world, please. I can't lose her."

I walk around the desk to stand beside him and pat him on the shoulder. "She's my world too, kid," I say to him. "We'll get her back. I promise."

He lifts his head to stare at me, and in that moment, we come to an understanding. I am not going to say that I'm suddenly filled with love for this guy because no matter what he peed on my car. And by no means I'm going to say to him when he visits my home, "Come back and visit every once and a while", but I understand that he really cares for my little girl. That makes him _tolerable_ in my books.

He opens his mouth to speak when Steve reenters my office. "Chief!" he calls out.

Immediately we're both on our feet, hopeful for news of our girl and worried at the same time, wondering what my team might've found. "What is it?"

"Good news is we haven't seen any cars leaving the house after Ms. Swan entered the facility," he says.

"And the bad?" I ask, sensing there's more to his "news".

He clears his throat as he responds. "Of the people entering the facility, facial recognition has picked up one man as one of our own."

"Who?" I ask, feeling my blood boiling in anger.

"Lieutenant Black."

_That fucking bastard!_

**A/N: Seatbelts still in place?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**There won't be an update tomorrow, but I hope to get one out on Wednesday.**

**See you then.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	86. Chapter-86: Chase

**A/N: Hey, guys! *Waves* You get a long chapter for the lack of updates yesterday. :)**

**Chapter-86: Chase**

**Word Prompt: **Chase

**Plot Generator—Idea Completion: **No rest for the wicked.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"She did _what_?"

"What the fuck do you mean she washed our shit?"

"Are you sure?"

I'm bombarded by questions from my teammates as soon as I convey the message of our lost communication devices to them. "Guys, calm down," I say.

Kora, however, gets angry and tries to push past me. "Damn it! Let me go, Swan." She looks around us and then asks, "Where did that motherfucking bitch go?"

Before I can tell her to stop, Alice asks back curiously, "Why are you looking for her anyway, Symonds? It's not like we can salvage those after they've been washed. Besides, she's just a maid."

Through gritted teeth, Kora replies, "I believe I'm gonna cut some bitch if I get my hands on her." Then she tries to move past me, but I block her way again. "Fuck it all! Swan, what's your problem?" she hisses at me.

Narrowing my eyes at her, I speak in a firm but low voice, "My _problem_, Symonds, is that I don't fancy dying here with a bullet hole in my forehead. If you go in there ready to claw the maid's eyes out, you'll get us all caught and then killed." She opens her mouth to counter me, but I carry on. "No! Listen to me, Agent Symonds, I'm the one Eleazar put in charge of this mission. So you'll do as I say."

She looks at me with shock written all over her face.

"Are we clear?" I push once more.

Slowly, she nods, looking defeated. "Yes," she mumbles, and I feel a twinge of guilt wash over me for talking to her this way, but this is warzone now. I need to be strict because lives depended on my actions.

"Kora," I say softly. "We need to keep our calm and find a way out of here with the evidence we're here to collect. And for that we need our heads in the right place."

Her answering voice sounds small as she says, "But Bella, we're going to be regarded as MIA now, won't we?"

Hating the situation we're in, I nod. "We'll find a way." Silently, I pray to God that I'm not lying to my team.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

As time passes, I fail to push my uneasiness away that something isn't right about the way Jane seemed to be in a hurry to wash our clothes.

_And really, what the hell was that about?_

_Why would she wash our clothes in the first place?_

_Does she suspect us of being something other than hired wait staff?_

_How can we get out of this mess?_

The questions run rampant in my mind, and in the midst of all these questions, the biggest question lingers ...

_Who is the interested party the Volturi brothers are making this deal with?_

I look at Kora who's working next to me in silence and ask, "Did you get anything more out of Felix about the deal?"

She shakes her head gloomily. "Just what I told you earlier: it's a drug deal ... a big one, and its security is being ensured by a law enforcement officer."

I feel disgusted at the thought of someone of our own backstabbing us. _Fucking dirty cops_.

"Psst."

We turn in unison to find Angela signalling us to the back of the kitchen. Kora, Alice and I share a look before following her, pretending to be making drinks for the party.

"What is it?" Alice asks after making sure we aren't going to be overheard.

Angela looks nervous as she answers, "I talked to Alec—a guy who works occasionally at the bar. He said that Jane is jealous."

"Of what?" I ask in confusion. "What's jealousy got to do with this situation?"

She grimaces and turns to Kora, as if dreading the news she's about to impart. "She's jealous of _you_."

Kora throws a bewildered look at her. "Me? Why on earth will she be jealous of me? Hell, she doesn't even _know_ me!"

It's Alice who answers this time. "Maybe she knows Gia?"

Angela nods. "Apparently, she's got a thing for Felix, and after he told her about you coming here and how excited he is to see you, she tried to get revenge on you ... by ruining your clothes. So that we'll have nothing decent to go home in."

I narrow my eyes at her and ask, "So it was just some crazy chick hating on our uniforms and not _them_ finding out who we are?" She shakes her head, a small smile forming on her lips.

All of us let out sighs of relief, relaxing from the stress we've been carrying on your shoulders from the moment we found out about our missing communication devices. _If they're not onto us, we can still wing it,_ I think to myself.

I open my mouth to thank Angela for the information when I feel my blood turn cold ... all at the sound of one voice coming from down the hall.

"Where are the endless drinks you promised, Caius? Bring them on, buddy."

Immediately, all the hurts and insults I've tried to chase away for the last few years rush back in. And suddenly, I'm a starry-eyed shy and naive girl again with a man who doesn't respect her.

"Bell?" I'm jolted out of the hurtful memories by the sound of Alice's voice. "What is it?"

"Jacob," I manage to reply.

Her eyes widen and then there's a fury in them like I've never seen before. "That fucktard is here?"

I nod. "That's his voice."

A slow and downright malicious smile spreads on her face as she whispers, "Karma is a bitch, Swan. Trust me when I'm through with him, he'll be begging you for forgiveness."

"Alice ..."

She cuts me off with a shake of her head. "You know the phrase: no rest for the wicked?"

I frown and start nodding.

She grins. "Jakey boy there is downright wicked. He's an asshole of the first class variety _and_ it appears like he's the dirty cop Symonds found out about. He deserves to get his just dessert."

"What are you planning?"

Alice doesn't reply to Kora's question. Instead, she gives me a wink and says, "If that dickface is in charge of security, this is gonna be of hell of a fun night."

Inside, I feel my resolve strengthen.

_I _will_ get back at him for betraying his country. And when I'm done with him, I'm gonna get back home ... to my Pretty Boy ... my Edward._

**A/N: ****_Some_**** questions got answered, no?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	87. Chapter-87: Karaoke

**A/N: Hello! PLPB wants to say hi. ;)**

**Chapter-87: Karaoke**

**Word Prompt: **Karaoke

**Dialogue Flex: **"He's about to have a meltdown."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I watch Bella's father's face change color as he went from shocked to angry to spitting mad in the span of twenty seconds.

Deputy Sheriff, Steve Robbins, stares at his boss for a moment before asking me, "Do you think he's ok? He looks like he's about to have a meltdown"

I don't even get the chance to tell him lower his voice before Charlie's anger erupts like an active volcano. "Meltdown? No, Steve, I'm about to break into a fucking Karaoke," he says with a burning glare at the deputy. "Why the fuck didn't any of you useless shits find this out before now?"

"Sir?" Steve swallows audibly.

Feeling sorry for the guy, I say in a low voice, "He's a police officer, isn't he?"

He frowns. "Who? Black?" When I nod, he says, "Yeah, he's a lieutenant. Why?"

"He's not just a lieutenant," I say. "He's a dirty cop. He's bound to be if he's attending a party thrown by the Brotherhood."

Steve's eyes widen at my implications.

Charlie looks down at the grainy traffic cam photo Steve handed over to him of Black entering the building and says quietly, "Get me all the info you can get on Black's recent cases. ASAP."

Steve doesn't linger back any longer as he rushes away from the chief.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Once we're alone, I watch as Charlie Swan, Chief of Police and the man I had dubbed as The Hulk, slowly sinks down in his seat, letting his head fall in his hands.

He looks like the picture of resignation.

"Charlie," I say. "She'll be ok. She has to be."

He doesn't look at me as he asks, "Did she tell you about him?"

"Yeah," I answer honestly. "She said that they used to date before he turned into an asshole."

"Did she tell you that she didn't want to date him in the first place?"

This is news to me so I frown and ask, "What do you mean?"

He looks up then, meeting my eyes with his tired brown ones. "He was my friend's kid. He always had a thing for her, but she never treated him as anything more than a friend. He came to me one day, asking for help to get her to change her mind."

"And?" I ask coolly, trying to suppress the anger coursing through me.

He has the grace to look ashamed as he says, "I asked her to give him a chance. She did so just because she didn't want to hurt my feelings."

I couldn't keep the words in anymore as I spat at him, "In return, he hurt her. Badly."

He nods.

"You are something, Charlie, you know that?" I ask in a quiet anger. "You made her date a douchenozzle like him, but you don't want her anywhere near me just because I pissed on your car. You're …"

"Sorry," he finishes for me. "More sorry than I can ever be. I'm sorry that I made her vulnerable to the crap he made her go through. I'm sorry that …" He takes a deep breath before continuing, "I'm sorry for treating you like I should've treated that _douchenozzle_."

I snort at his using the word and open my mouth to speak as Steve walks back in. "Sir, you won't believe what I've found," he says as he holds up a thick folder in his hands. "It seems like Mr. Cullen was right about him. He has been working on many of the ACM brotherhood cases in the past few years, but all of them have been stacked up as _unsolved_."

"He's on their payroll," Charlie says through gritted teeth before looking at me. "What do you say, Edward? Feel like crashing a party?"

I smile, taking his use of my name instead of 'boy' as a small victory as I nod. "Oh yeah! Let's go get our girl back."

He stares at me for a long moment before nodding back to me.

I know that I'm not going to be his buddy anytime soon, but I'll gladly settle for having him agree that Bella is my girl now too.

**A/N: Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	88. Chapter-88: Hurry, Scurry, Furry

**A/N: Just a word of advice, you might want to pee first before reading this. Enjoy! ;)**

**Chapter-88: Hurry, Scurry, Furry**

**Word Prompts: ** Hurry, scurry, furry

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I stand at a corner of the kitchen with my teammates around me as we discuss last minute strategies to put our plan into action.

"Well ladies," I say, looking at each of them. "If we want this to go our way, we need to hurry or the stations will be filled with other servers."

Looking over her shoulder, Kora glares at the other hired staff in the kitchen before scoffing. "Who? Those fake-titted wannabe waitresses? Please! When they see what we plan to do, they'll run away; scurrying away for cover."

I feel a smile tug on my lips at hearing very less vocal and usually reserved Kora trash-talk. Sending a wink their way, I say, "They are not the only ones we need to watch out for. While their attempt to prove themselves better is strictly professional, there are others who might take this in a personal level."

Angela raises her eyes to look at me and asks, "Who do you mean, Bella? Jane?"

"Jane, Felix and definitely Jacob," I answer.

"Jane's a bitch. Leave that chihuahua to me."

Kora's words make Alice grin. "Chihuahua? They're way cuter than her bitch face. How about some other furry little woodland creature?" she asks with a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Like a skank?"

"Perfect."

Shaking my head at my best friend's sense of humor, I lead the way to the open bar to grab the drinks.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

As we spread out throughout the room to serve drinks to the guests, I try to steer clear of Jake's way. I leave him for Alice to tackle while I make my way toward Aro Volturi.

Aro, the sickly looking mob boss, doesn't even spare me a second glance as he keeps talking to his guest—a man with dirty blond hair and a face like a ferret's. "This will be a beneficial venture for both of us, Hunter," he says to the other man.

The man, Hunter, lifts a glass from the tray I've been holding out to him and smiles at Aro over the brim. "Please, call me Jim, I insist. We're friends now, aren't we? There shouldn't be any formalities between friends."

Hearing his first name makes my blood run cold. _Jim? Jim Hunter? As in James Hunter, the head of the Hunter Family?_

I feel like I can't think straight. Our sources had said that Aro was building this mattress to go into a war with the Hunter Family but now they're striking a deal in here?

"Friends?" Aro's brother, Caius asks as he joins the duo. "With your Vicky marrying our Jakie? We're gonna be practically family."

_What the fuck? Jacob is marrying James' daughter? That's the deal they're gonna make today?_ I'm just about ready to tackle Felix to the ground for giving us wrong intel, albeit unknowingly, when James speaks again.

"I know. Their marriage is the only reason that got me interested in making this deal today. We're going to make millions, my friends." His declaration is greeted with enthusiastic cheers from both Volturi brothers. And slowly I let out a breath.

_So there _is_ a deal._

Caius grabs the last glass on my tray and says to me, "What the fuck are you doing here, girl? Go and get us refills."

Without another word I walk away from them and to the bar where I meet Alice. "So you get anything yet?" she asks me in a low whisper.

Keeping my voice as low as possible, I relay the few tidbits I've gathered. She frowns when she hears about Jacob's imminent wedding. "Why would he want to get tangled in all of this?"

I shrug and tell her my best guess. "He's a power-hungry asshole, Al. He always has been. So maybe he has decided that having connections in both of the big _families_ in Seattle is better than one. Or he wants to double his payroll."

She looks thoughtful for a moment and then her lips quirk upwards in a dry smile. "Sucks to be him when we're here to knock his ass to the ground. I just found the opening I was looking for."

She winks at me before walking away, leaving me wondering just what she's cooking up now.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I don't have to wait long for Alice's plan to unfold though. It begins when she goes to serve Jacob a glass of wine.

"I think I've seen you somewhere. I just can't seem to be able to place you," he says when he sees her, his voice coming out just a little slurred at the end.

Alice puts a hand on her chest, feigning shock as she gasps loudly. "Me? You've forgotten _me_? Jake, how could you?"

He looks taken aback at her theatrics. "Do we know each other then?"

She lets out a sob before waggling a finger in front of his face. "This is what you've become, Black? Now you don't remember how we met, do you?"

Their exchange attracts more attention as people stop talking and start to gather around to two of them.

Jacob looks baffled as he asks, "Are you sure we know each other? I can't …"

"Remember me?" she finishes in a questioning tone. "Why would you when you got that fake Police badge to shove into people's faces and can pretend to be a real cop?"

Caius walks away from his brother and James with a frown on his forehead. "Fake Police Badge?" he asks Alice.

She nods, raising a finger to point at Jacob. "He got that when he used to work with me at the Twerk n Jerk."

"Twerk n Jerk?" James asks this time. "That sounds like a …"

Alice looks completely serious as she replies to him. "A strip club. He used to be a top notch male stripper there before stealing a handful of those fake police badges they kept for role-playing. Hell, Jake is the reason the club closed down. When he left, we lost a lot of our clientele."

Slack-jawed, I watch with fascination as Alice sells her story to anyone who'd listen, disgracing Jacob fucking Black to his face.

_God I love my best friend!_

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to all my Magic Mike loving readers. Sorry, I couldn't resist. ;)**

**And just so you know, I did research for this chapter. Searching through hilarious Strip club names counts as research, right? :P**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	89. Chapter-89: Breakthrough

**A/N: Sorry I missed posting yesterday. I promise to make it a good one today. ;)**

**This one is from Mystery Girl's POV because she didn't want to keep you guys hanging. :D**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter-89: Breakthrough**

**Word Prompt: **Breakthrough

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I watch with absolute awe as Alice's little act puts people on edge. That's before Hunter joins the conversation though because once he joins in, it turns into an absolute mayhem.

"What the hell is the meaning of this, Aro?" James shouts over Jacob's feeble attempts of denying the allegations.

Aro's already pale complexion looks pasty white as he wipes off perspiration from his forehead and offers a strained smile to James. "I'm sure it's a misunderstanding, Jim. Our Jake isn't like that."

A flicker of anger flashes through James's eyes as soon as the words leave Aro's mouth. It's like he's made a breakthrough in this dilemma of whether or not the asswipe standing in the middle of the room is a male stripper or not. "That's right!" he snarls again. "He's _your_ Jake isn't he? You are the one who brought that ... that ... two-inch dick-jerker into our business, aren't you?"

Aro starts shaking his head, holding his hands up in the air in an attempt to calm James down. James, however, seems to be on a roll. He disregards the mob boss's attempts and keeps on asking questions. "Tell me, Votluri, if he's not a real cop, did you pay him to pretend to be one? Did you think that you'll fool me? Jimmy James Hunter?"

Caius steps up for his brother and says, "Now look here, Jim ..."

James throws him a fierce glare and says in an ice-cold voice, "Caius Volturi, this discussion is between your brother and me. He's the one I'm making this deal with so it'll be in your best interest to keep out of this."

Caius signals his younger brother, Marcus, to come and join him before turning his eyes back on James. He holds his head high with pride as he states, "Well Mr. Hunter, you might not know this, but the three of us, my two brothers and I, we all own equal share of this family business. So I think Marcus and I have a right to speak in this matter as long as it's a discussion about the business."

Marcus, of course, thinks to put his two cents in too. "However," he adds in a raspy voice. "If it's a discussion of whether or not this boy is a gigolo, I'd like to stay away from that." Then he looks around and says for the other party guests, "Not my place to judge his morals, you see?"

A choking sound escapes Jacob as he keeps opening and closing his mouth like a fish, unable to add his defence in the middle of this chaos.

James shrugs and says in an off-hand manner, "I don't know what you've been told, boy, but your brother is the one I'm supposed to making this deal with. In fact, he's states as the sole owner of your ... entrepreneurship."

"What?" Caius and Marcus ask in unison, turning around to face their brother.

"Aro, what's he talking about?" Caius demands. "We're not your partners in the business anymore?"

Marcus starts nodding from beside him. "Yes, brother. We have stood by your side as you made your first kill and then your second and so on. We've been with you when you killed Philip Dwyer and took over his human trafficking business."

Caius glares at Aro and adds, "Hell, I was the one who told your about this Meth deal going down at the Hunter's end. I was there to push you to take this string cheese as a partner so that we can have share in that dough." He points to James to indicate who the 'string cheese' is.

In the crowded room, I search for Angela and Kora. When my eyes land on them, I feel a smile slowly creeping up on my lips. There, at the far corner of the room and out of plain sight, they stand with a small video camera clutched in their hands—recording the demolition of the ACM Brotherhood.

For a moment, I thank Eleazar for having the foresight of placing Angela in that gaybar in the first place because her friend, Alec, has been kind enough to arrange the camera buying the story of their wanting to take a few pictures in the new uniform.

"Just wait a goddamn minute!" I'm jolted out of my thoughts at the sound of Aro's angry outburst. "Who the fuck do you think you're talking to? _I_ made this family what it is. _I_ am the boss in this family ..."

"Like hell you are!" Caius responds, and then in front of all the guests, a fight breaks out between Caius's and Aro's soldiers. I see James take a few steps away from them with a smug look on his face. Watching his opponent kick their own ass must be a good show for him.

From the corner of my eyes, I see Kora give me a nod, and slowly I let out a breath.

_We've got our evidence._ _Now all we have to do is get the hell out of here._

Being the asshole he is, Jacob can't keep himself from butting in though. He gets between Aro and his brothers who are locked in a stare down and says, "Before you all start tearing each other's throats, shouldn't you get to the bottom of this?"

Marcus frowns from next to him. "To the bottom of what?"

Jacob looks over his shoulder and glowers at Alice before saying, "Think about it. Everything was good until this chick showed up. And she's obviously lying. I haven't given lap dances to anyone, I swear it!"

"We don't fucking care if you spend your free time jiggling your junk in people's faces," Caius snaps at him. "You better not be lying about being a cop though."

"He's right," Aro pipes up with a scowl on his face. "That girl is the key to it."

_Oh shit!_

I try to attract Alice's eyes to tell her to run the hell out of the room, but Jacob gets to her first. He reaches for her elbow with his hand, but stops midway when a squeak of a microphone being switched on comes into the room followed by a voice I wasn't expecting to hear at all.

"Volturis, this is the Chief of Police from Seattle PD, Charles Swan. We've got you surrounded. Get out of the house with your hands over your head and tell your associates to follow suit. You are all under arrest for human trafficking, smuggling and prostitution," I hear my dad's voice ring out throughout the house and finally, I let out a sigh of relief.

_There's our way out._

**A/N: So thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	90. Chapter-90: Locksmith

**A/N: Hi! Thank you for all your sweet words in the last chapter. I give you the longest chapter yet. Enjoy!**

**Chapter-90: Locksmith**

**Word Prompt: **Locksmith

**Scenario: **Letting go of _ was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

Complete the scenario in any way, in any style, and for any word count. Open your mind and follow where it leads, writing as you go.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

In the moments following Charlie's announcement, we all stand still, waiting for something to happen. And then it does. Except instead of the Volturi brothers surrendering, a van carrying FBI agents comes rolling into the view.

Emmett throws open the door before the van even stops completely and jumps down. He speaks up as he starts to make his way to us. "We came as soon as we got the call." Looking at his uncle, he asks, "You found proof of their crimes?"

Charlie shakes his head. "Not really, but we've found strong evidence against one of their _associates_," he says tersely, referring to Jacob Black. "If nothing else sticks, we'll be able to detain them for giving shelter to an unlawful man."

He frowns at Charlie's bitter tone of voice. "Is it someone we know?"

"It's Jacob fucking Black," Charlie screws up his face in disgust as he answers.

"No shit!" Emmett exclaims before turning his eyes on me. "Hey, man," he greets me with a nod. "You okay there?"

"Not really. This sucks," I say motioning to the firmly closed doors of the mansion I designed for those assholes myself.

He places a hand on my shoulder and says, "She'll be okay. She's a tough girl." Then as an afterthought, he adds, "Besides, she's with Alice. That little spitfire can burn the whole lot of them. Don't tell her I said that though." He winks, trying to lighten up the mood.

Silently, I nod before looking over at Charlie. "They're not coming out," I say feeling my heart sink.

He shrugs. "That was standard protocol. I'd be surprised if they came out. The bad ones never do as they're told." Then he looks at Emmett and asks, "Where's your commander?"

Emmett gestures to a tall figure making its way to us and when the person reaches us, he makes the introductions. "The director of our unit, Eleazar Smith. Eleazar, this is the Chief of Seattle PD, Charles Swan."

Eleazar shakes Charlie's hand and then looks at me questioningly. Before Emmett can say anything, Charlie says, "He's good. He's with me."

Giving me a sharp nod, Eleazar starts asking Charlie about the situation at hand and after a few hushed sentences, he reaches for the megaphone Charlie had used and pulls it close to his mouth. "This is Eleazar Smith speaking," he starts without any preamble. "I'm with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We have authentication for entering your premises. So, Aro, Caius and Marcus Volturi along with everyone who stands behind them, if you don't come out within the next ten seconds, we _will_ enter your house. Consider this your first and final warning."

The next ten seconds, I alternate between putting on a calm face for everyone to see and thinking about scaling the walls to get inside the house just to get to my girl.

And then it happens.

A door opens and a shadow appears to be standing there, taking in the sight of the police officers and FBI agents all surrounding the house. Two more seconds pass. Then, the main gate opens, allowing us the first glimpse of Aro Volturi in real life. He walks out, stomping his feet on the ground as he makes his way to us. He stands right in front of Charlie and asks, "Which one of you is Swan?"

"That'd be me, yes," Charlie answers curtly.

Aro narrows his eyes and says, "I don't trust the FBI to be rational, but you? I never expected our very own law enforcement officers to go along with them. I'm a highly respected member of the society ..."

"Like hell you are!" A loud voice startles us all of a sudden. Looking up, I see another figure appear in the darkness as Aro's brother, Caius, walks out of the house. "Marc and I have stood by you while you made your own law all these years. But no more," Caius tells his brother.

Eleazar smiles widely, probably sensing the brothers turning on to each other and says, "That, Mr. Volturi, makes your earlier statement null and void … which makes _you_, under arrest."

Emmett watches in silence as his boss snaps a couple of pairs of handcuffs on the Volturis, and then he runs inside the house, leading the police officers and FBI agents alike.

_They'll find her_, I tell myself, knowing that I wouldn't be allowed to follow Emmett in the search no matter how much my heart wanted to get to her.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Hours. It feels like hours pass me by until I see her carefully stepping through the door. She lifts her face up to look at the sky where slowly the darkness of night is fading to make way for a new dawn.

"Bella," I breathe her name.

Even through all the shouting and sirens going off around us, her eyes find me. I see a momentary shock give way to the most beautiful smile take as she sees me.

And then she's running … straight into my arms.

I bury my nose in her soft hair and breathe her in. "Bella." All I can do is say her name over and over—like a prayer.

"Edward," her voice is a choked whisper as she calls my name. "I …"

I look into her eyes and find the same worry, love, desperation reflected back at me, and in that moment, I can feel our love for each other. "I know, baby. I know," I assure her softly. "I love you too."

Her hands clutch onto me tighter as she hears the words leave my mouth. She burrows closer into my chest, breathing me in just like I had done with her.

"Bells?"

The sound of Charlie's voice makes her lift her head from my chest. There's a moment of confusion on her face but then she smiles at me. "You got him here, didn't you?" she asks me.

"You're way more important than worrying about peeing my pants when your father goes all Hulk on me," I reply with a shrug.

She laughs—the sound of her laughter like a balm for my worry-worn heart. She kisses me quickly before making her way to her father.

Letting go of Bella in that moment was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, but I did it anyway. Because I know I'll have her back in my arms soon enough. That's where she belongs.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Hey Bell," Emmett calls her just as I'm trying to make an escape with my girl.

Throwing me an apologetic look, she stops. "Hey, bro. What's up?"

"Damn! Bell, you did good, li'l sis. The ACM Brotherhood _and_ the Hunters? Awesome! But …" he stops, looking confused as he asks, "Well, I'm going over the list of all the people who were present in the party, but one of Aro's household staff is missing."

She looks to the side where another of her colleague stands, giving her statement to Steve, and asks back, "Is it the maid by any chance?"

"Yeah. How did you …"

Her smile is secretive as she lifts her chin to point at her colleague. "Hey, Symonds, know where they keep the washing machine?" she asks.

The other agent, Symonds, grins back, clearly at a personal joke as she says, "I saw that in the basement. Small things like that can get so easily lost, you know?"

Emmett stares at the pair of them for a moment before turning around to run back inside. "You're crazy, Symonds!" he exclaims as he goes.

Symonds shouts back, "Take a locksmith with you, McCarty. I've forgotten where I put the key!"

Bella waits until Emmett is out of earshot before asking Agent Symonds, "What did you do to her?"

She shrugs. "Once the backup got inside, I borrowed a gun from a cop and made her go to the basement with me." She stops to offer a wicked smile before continuing. "Let's just say that Emmett will find her wearing dirty rags over her uniform and with her hands handcuffed to a pillar. Very BDSM looking setting."

Bella blinks, as the words sink in. "What?"

Symonds grins wider this time. "If that bitch is lucky, she'll make the newspaper tomorrow as Aro Volturi's sex slave," she says with a smirk. "That's for ruining our clothes."

Shaking her head, Bella says, "I should probably add to Emmett's parting words and say that you're _evil_." From their matching smiles it doesn't seem like an insult.

I start to move my girl away from the certifiably crazy chick when she calls out again, "Hey Swan!" She waits till we look back at her and then adds, "Great job out there today."

Bella smiles back. "Likewise," she says before tightening her hold on my hand and leaning into me. "Edward?" she calls my name softly.

"What is it, baby?"

Looking into my eyes, she utters the words that make my heart grow with my love for this amazing woman. "Take me home."

**A/N: I know the Volturis could probably hold the girls hostages, but for that, they'd need to know their real identities. So this felt like the way to go.**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Fic Rec: Love Hurts by Maplestyle. It's short, mysterious and already complete. Go and take a look. I promise you won't regret it. :)**

** www. fanfiction s / 11347807/ 1/ Love-Hurts (Remove the spaces before you hit enter)**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	91. Chapter-91: Tidbit

**A/N: Hi, guys! *Waves* Happy reading!**

**Chapter-91: Tidbit**

**Word Prompt: **Tidbit

**Plot Generator—Binding Blurb:** In 500 words or fewer, write a blurb or a short entry about **settling in for the long haul.**

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Really?" I ask, turning my head to the side to look at him. "You said _that_ to my dad?"

He nods slowly. "Really," he answers. "I was kind of desperate."

I can't help the smile that spreads on my face, warming my heart as his sweet words tug on my heartstrings. "I could tell," I say teasingly before remembering the way he held me when I came out of that house. The memory sobers me up as I realize how close I had gotten to getting caught and possibly losing the opportunity to be with this man. "I never expected you to get my dad though," I say after a moment. "Thanks for that."

He shakes his head. "I didn't do it for you, Bella. I'm a selfish guy. I just didn't want to think of a world where you weren't beside me. I did it for me."

I don't even try to resist it this time. I turn around in his arms, crawl onto his lap and kiss him hard. I feel him smile against my lips as he wraps his arms around me, kissing me back with just as much fervor. "I love you, Edward," I tell him, letting my lips trail down to his jaw. "And I think it was very brave of you to stand up to my dad like that," I add with a smile. "He can be overbearing at times."

He weaves his fingers through my hair, playing with a lock as he grins at me. "I think he's afraid of me actually … to some extent," he says with a wink. "Just don't share that tidbit of information with him."

I laugh at his words. "Your secret is safe with me, Pretty Boy."

Pulling my lips back to his, he kisses me again. I feel a desperation rolling off of him … a desperation that matches my own as I struggle to not let out how shaken up I feel by the events of the night before. Until it becomes impossible to ignore.

I don't think as I move to straddle him on. The way he holds on to me, gripping my hips in his hands tells me that he's feeling it too.

We kiss like we're the Oxygen for each other. And when our lips part, he voices his fears to me. "I came so close to losing you today, baby. It scared the shit outta me. When Emmett called me, for one horrible moment, I thought I'd never get to kiss you like this again."

Just to reassure him, I kiss him once again before laying my head on his chest. "I wasn't gonna let that happen. If I had died today without having the chance to kiss you again, I'd be one pissed off dead woman."

He doesn't look amused by my attempt at humor though. Instead, he pulls me closer and whispers, "Now that I have you, I'm not gonna let you go."

"I don't want you to," I whisper back before settling back into his embrace. We don't say it out loud, but we both know it in our hearts—we're settling in for the long haul.

**A/N: Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Tomorrow is Friday which means Redemption Day. So there'll be no dream updates tomorrow. **

**See you on Saturday.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	92. Chapter-92: Stream

**A/N: Hey, guys! *Waves* Ready for a new dream?**

**Chapter-92: Stream**

**Word Prompt: **Stream

**Dialogue Flex: **"It'll be worth the wait."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The morning after the most horrifying night of my life, Bella and I sit together, sprawled on the bed as we scan the newspaper for articles about the bust. We even check the internet for live news streams from the major news networks, but the news we're looking for doesn't pop up.

Bella shuts her laptop and puts it down on the bed beside her before giving me a disappointed look. "Any luck?"

I mirror her look as I shake my head. "Nothing. It's like he's not even a part of this whole shit."

"Emmett's not gonna be happy when he sees the news," she says with a sigh. "Hell, I thought that we were gonna nail that asshole when we busted the whole lot of them."

"This is what I don't get," I admit. "Why wasn't he in the party? The information you got, it was authentic, wasn't it?"

She bites on her lip, seemingly lost in her thoughts before saying, "Kora, or rather, Agent Symonds is the one who got the intel."

I feel my eyebrows pull up at that. "Who? Agent Crazy Pants?" I ask, remembering the crazy bdsm chick from the night before.

She laughs at my naming skills. "Yes, actually."

"You trust her?"

She's quiet for just a moment and then she says, "Yes, I know she's a little rough on the edges, but after last night, I trust that girl with my life."

"Okay then ..."

She scoots over to me on the bed and puts a hand on my face. "Hey, Rose maybe your sister, but she's my friend too. I want to skin Royce for what he did to her as well," she says to me. "And believe me, once Em gets his hands on him, he'll be willing to let her castrate him in public if it means he'll be able to get away from Emmett."

I can't help but laugh at the gleeful expression on her face. Taking her hand in mine, I press a kiss on her palm and ask, "You really love me, don't you?"

She grins. "I really, really do," she says. "Now stop worrying about that jerkface. We might need to wait for a few days to get him, but when we do, it'll be worth the wait."

I nod and pull her into my arms to kiss her just because I can. "With you and Emmett looking out for Rose, I'm sure it will be," I tell her.

"Good. Now kiss me some more," she says, and I oblige.

_How can I not when I get to claim this perfect woman as mine?_

**A/N: A true flashfic for you today. :)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	93. Chapter-93: Impractical, Immaculate, Imp

**A/N: Please note that this story is purely for entertainment purposes. I do not own Twilight or FSoG. However, the plot and these crazy kids are all mine. Happy dreaming! :)**

**Chapter-93: Impractical, Immaculate, Imposter**

**Word Prompts: ** Impractical, immaculate, imposter

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The news comes out one day later … the news everyone has been eagerly waiting for … the news about Aro Volturi's secret sex slave. It's just like Kora predicted when she left Jane tied up in the basement of the ACM Brotherhood's lair … except it's bigger and one hell of a lot better.

"Listen to this," Alice hollers over the laughter already breaking out around the bullpen just from everyone taking a look at the headline which reads: **Gray Hairs Can be Kinky Too!**

"Just like the kinky gray eyes of the latest blockbuster movie hero, Christian Grey, recently apprehended crime lord, Aro Volturi, has proven that gray-haired sexagenarians can be kinky too. This weekend, when FBI's Organized Crime Division brought down the Volturi brothers and their empire mostly known as the ACM Brotherhood, a young woman was taken into custody. This woman, named Jane Hemmings, though claimed to be Aro's personal maid turned out to be far more than that. After rigorous questioning, Ms. Hemmings has finally confessed to being Aro Volturi's sex slave."

Kora grins at Alice and says in a low voice, "I might have paid a visit to a certain Ms. Hemmings to get her to admit it."

"But how?"

"I told her that she'll be prosecuted as an accessory to all of Aro's crimes unless she confesses to being his dick-rub-chick," she answers with a devilish smirk. "Thankfully, the jealous bitch is also a gullible piece of shit. I know it was impractical," she adds with a shrug. "But that bitch had it coming."

Shaking my head with incredulity, I'm about to comment on her level of craziness when suddenly Stoner Mike draws our attention to another news. "Look. They didn't only have sex slaves in there, they even had imposters pretending to be police officers."

Automatically, my eyes get drawn to the screen where the official website for the Seattle Times lay open. Scanning the article, I feel a calm spread through my mind. Seeing Jacob's face plastered on the news with him being called everything from a dirty cop to a disgrace to the law itself, feels like justice. A quick once-over of the article tells me that his career as a cop is finished and he's now facing jail time … for a long period of time.

Alice turns her head to look at me.

I smile and give her a silent nod of thanks, telling her with my eyes how lucky I am to have her as my best friend.

I feel Emmett's hand on my shoulder, squeezing lightly and letting me know that he's there for me just like he always has been.

The general air of celebration around us stops midway when Garrett comes rushing in to the room. "Hey guys! I just got word from the Seattle PD. Aro Volturi's lawyer, Royce King is at the precinct trying to bail his clients out. If we want to detain him, this might be our chance."

Eleazar gives a hesitant nod of acquiescence. "I guess that won't hurt. He might accidentally give us more to build a case on them. Anyone interested in taking that?" he asks the room at large.

Even before he opens his mouth, I know my cousin's gonna be the one to speak up. "Can I take this one, please?"

His sudden somber tone of voice coupled with the look of seriousness on his face must worry Eleazar, but he agrees to it. However, the moment Emmett walks out of the room, he turns around to face me. "Go with him," he tells me. "He looks like he might need a partner on this one."

"Yes, sir."

Without another word, I follow my cousin out of the room, eager to help him place that shithead behind bars.

Fate, it seems, is on our side because suddenly, we've been handed the asshole we have been looking for … like a gift in an immaculately wrapped package.

**A/N: Thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review?**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	94. Chapter-94: Bruise

**A/N: Sorry it took a long time to get this out to you, but it's going to be worth it. And because the story warrants it, tonight you get another Surprise POV. Enjoy!**

**Chapter-94: Bruise**

**Word Prompt: **Bruise

**Plot Generator—Phrase Catch: **Run like the wind.

Repeat the phrase to yourself five times, open a blank word document and begin.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I watch him strut his arrogant ass around the room from the other side of the one-way mirror. He stops after a few minutes and knocks on the window behind which I stand. "Hello! How long is this gonna take?"

I feel a soft hand on my arm, squeezing it as she asks quietly to my ear, "You want me to come with?"

Shaking my head, I decline her offer. "This piece of shit is mine to flush down the toilet."

A small smile comes on to her face as she says, "Wipe the floor with him, bro."

I smile back in response because what I plan on doing is worse … much worse.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The moment I start opening the door, I hear sounds of scrambling feet and I realize that he's gonna be standing right in front of me when I open it.

And I'm right. He's there when the door swings open—the man I've hated with every bone in my body since that first night my Rosie cried in my arms.

"Thank God _someone_'s here," he says with an overdramatic huff, making his ferret-like face look even more ferret-y. "I have other clients to attend to, you know!"

His contemptuous remarks make me grit my teeth so that I don't deck him right then and there. "Take a seat, Mr. King," I say after a heartbeat.

Of course, he doesn't do as told. Instead, he stands his ground, giving me a fuck-you bitch-brow as he says scathingly, "I'll stand, thanks. Now why don't you tell me why exactly am I being detained here, officer …?" he stops and peers at my chest as if looking for a nametag.

"It's Agent. Agent McCarty," I say. "I'm with the FBI's Organized Crime Division."

He holds his hands up with a shocked expression on his face. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Organized Crime? Come on, now. My clients are not the _mob_, if that's what you mean."

If it was anyone else, I'd have a kick out of his acting skills. _But it's the bastard that hurt my Rosie and for that, he's going to pay. _Keeping my eyes fixed on him, I say, "We're not here to talk about your clients. Before you get to represent them, we need to make sure that you're even fit to do that."

"What?!" He looks scandalous as he asks, his eyes narrowing. "What do you mean by that?"

"We'll get to that in a minute. Sit down first." I wait for exactly three seconds for him to move his ass and then I yell in his face, "I SAID SIT DOWN!"

Just like magic, he sobers up and like a good little bitch takes a seat on the chair set in here for him. I walk up to him and start casually, "So tell me, Royce King, why does your file say that you've been in and out of court a lot lately?"

He gives me a look and says slowly as if he thinks I'm not smart enough to understand him, "I'm a lawyer, Mr. McCarty. It's kind of my job?"

"It's _Agent_ McCarty," I correct him before rephrasing my question. "Let me break it down for your understanding. Why does your record show that there's a restraining order against you?"

He scowls at me when he realizes that I've gone through his police record and says, "That's just my stupid ex being a bitch."

My fingers curl into a tight fist at his words and I'm a second away from lunging at him when the door opens and Bella walks in. She gives me a little head shake letting me know that she's here to keep me level-headed and not interfere in my show.

Without words, she hands me a folder and smiles slightly, and I realize that this is the folder I had asked Uncle Charlie for—the folder containing all of Royce Asshole King's records.

When I speak next, I drop the folder in front of him and say, "Take a good long look, King. This is your rap sheet, and based on it, you are unfit to represent anyone in the court of law as a counsel."

"What the fuck?" he curses as he stands up, pounding the table top in front of him with his fists like the animal he is, and for the umpteenth time in the last ten minutes, I have to resist the urge to leave him bruised black and blue.

Instead of following my instincts, I slap a hand right next to his and get into his face. "I think I told you to sit your fucking ass down."

He opens his mouth to respond but seems to think otherwise because he closes it again and sits back down on the chair.

"Now then," I start, leafing through the folder in my hands. "It says here that you had been sentenced to juvie for unwarranted assault on a fellow student back in school. Then in college, you were accused of being an accessory to rape of a younger woman …" I stop, needing to take a breath because that one made my blood boil.

_How could Rose's grandfather make her marry this fucktard?_ I wonder, my heart hurting for my girl all over again.

Taking a deep breath, I continue. "It would seem like you straightened your shit out after you got out of college, but we have a number of your ex-secretaries stating that you tried to sexually harass them when they were under your employment."

He opens his mouth again, but this time, Bella steps up. "I wouldn't do that," she says. "Running my mouth, I mean. Because the predicament you're now in, if you aren't a horse named Bull's Eye who can run like the wind, I suggest you keep quiet and hear us out, King."

Her words lessen the tension in me and put a smile on my face which I suspect is what she's hoping for. I tap the folder with my finger and address the fucker once more. "So you have unwarranted assault, being an accessory to rape, sexual harassment of your ex-employees and then you have a record for stalking your ex-wife and harassing her so much so that she had to get a restraining order against you. You want me to go on?"

His eyes widen, probably thinking what more we could have on him. He looks down at the folder and swallows thickly.

"There's also proof of your recent sexual encounters in here, King," I say firmly even though I've finished reading out the whole rap sheet for him.

The effect my words have is unexpected though. He lets out a loud whimper before breaking out into a sob.

_What the fuck?_

"Please, don't make that public. My dad can't find out. He'll take away the power of attorney of the law firm from me. I'll be finished. Please," he says in a pleading voice. "I'll confess to it all. Yes, I kicked the nerd boy at school because I wanted to show off how good I was at kick boxing. I was there helping my friend, Mitch, to get back at Amy Adams back in college when she said she didn't want him anywhere near her. And I admit I got a little handsy with my secretaries. Hell, I'll even confess to trying to make Rosalie's life a living hell just because I could. I'll give all of this to you in writing if you don't make my affair with Jake public."

"Jake?" Bella asks, narrowing her eyes.

He nods frantically. "Jacob Black, the cop you guys arrested. He's my boyfriend. He is the one who made me realize what I wanted in life. I love him. He didn't want to let anyone know about us because he thinks it'll affect his career, and my dad will disinherit me if he finds out."

Great self-restraint. That's what makes us nod somberly at his confession. Bella tries to look sympathetic as she pushes a pen and paper in his direction. "Write it all down please," she says pleasantly. "And don't worry about your affair, Royce, same sex marriage has been legalized recently. So who knows? You father might have a change of heart and let you pursue your relationship with Black. You might be the new power couple in county jail."

Royce King looks up from the paper and grins at her, his eyes filled with hope, and I can't help but smile back. _Royce King, I don't care if you like dicks, but you just fucked yourself with a splintered stick._

**A/N: Just to clear it all up, I don't own anything remotely related to Toy Story except the DVDs in Blu-ray. ;)**

**I hope that clears up why Royce and Jacob were both dicks to their exes. They were looking for true love … in each other. :)**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	95. Chapter-95: Guard

**A/N: Hi! *waves***

**Chapter-95: Guard**

**Word Prompt: **Guard

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Is that the last of it?"

I turn around at the sound of her voice, and the moment our eyes meet, I feel my breath catch in my throat. She looks tired as hell with her eyes drooping a little and stray hairs coming out of her ponytail, but even now, she's the most beautiful woman in my world.

She tilts her head to the side and looks at me with questioning eyes. "Edward? Baby, are you feeling okay?"

Her question brings me out of my thoughts and I feel a smile stretch over my face as I close the make my way toward her. "I'm a little better than okay," I say when I reach her. For a moment, I let my eyes move from her face to check if the front door is locked or not, and then I bring my eyes back on her. "We're here."

"Finally," she says.

"We're officially moved in," I say again.

She nods, a smile that mirrors mine taking over her face. "Looks like it."

Unable to resist her any longer, I reach out and take her hand in mine. When I tug, she comes willingly into my arms, looking at me expectantly as she does.

I can't help the shit-eating grin I offer her before planting a kiss on her lips. "I'll get to wake up to your face everyday now," I tell her.

She smiles against my lips before replying. "I'll get to fall asleep in your arms every night now."

We both burst into laughter at our cheesy as fuck words. "We're hopeless," she says, shaking her head.

Tightening my arms around her, I kiss her once more. "Now we can be hopeless together."

Her answering smile and her arms snaking into my hair tells me that she might be tired after all the hard work, but she's not that tired. When I pick her up bridal-style in my arms, her smile widens and that's all the green light I need.

I walk us straight into our bedroom and lay her down on the bed. She looks up at me from the bed, her hair spread out on the pillow, making her look like a goddess. Holding a hand out to me, she says, "Come to me." Like a moth to her flame, I comply.

Once we're skin to skin, I let her crawl on top of me. She giggles as she leans down to meet my lips with hers, her hair cascading like waves over our faces. When she swivels her hips against mine though, all humor is gone. There's only us … two pieces of zigsaw puzzles that fit perfectly.

The way she moves against me leaves me breathless and gripping the bed sheets for control. She leans forward and takes my hands in hers, threading our fingers as she does. "Let go, Edward," she whispers in my ear. "Let go of the control and just love me."

Because I'm powerless to say no to her, that's exactly what I do. I love her with my heart while worshipping every inch of her body as I do. The moment she falls apart in my arms with my name a barely-audible whisper on her lips, I feel like I have everything I need because she is my everything.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

I watch mesmerized as the first rays of the morning sun hits her face and illuminates her like goddamn angel. I can't help but kiss her perfect pink lips when she smiles a little as I hold her in my arms. Her smile widens before she opens her eyes to look at me.

"Is it always going to be like this?" she asks.

"What? Me waking you up so early?" I ask back.

She places her hand on my chest and moves her lips to my ears before whispering, "You being a hornball who in turn makes me a hornball?"

Her question makes me laugh, and she smiles as she tilts her head to the side—silently asking for a kiss.

I kiss her thoroughly then say, "Good morning, beautiful."

She laughs and says that her hair looking like a bird's nest makes her look anything but beautiful; but as she says so, a light blush creep up her neck and to her face. I grin and kiss her again because no matter what she says, she's beautiful to me.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Walking into the kitchen, I stop in my tracks and take the picture of perfection before me. Bella hums to herself as she makes scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast, wearing just my shirt from the night before. In that moment, I see our future … not just mine, not hers, but _ours_. And it's so full of promises that I feel my heart is about to explode with hopes for our lives together.

I was attracted to Bella when I saw her smiling up at the sun. I fell in love with the confident, brilliant, kind and beautiful woman she is. But in this moment—as I watch her cook in our kitchen with her guards down—I know what I want.

_She _is what I want.

That's when I realize that one day, I'm going to marry this woman and make her Mrs. Cullen. And honestly? I can't wait for that day to come.

**A/N: So … thoughts?**

**Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**I've got a fic rec for you today. It's one of my current drop-everything fics called ****Lost Loves of Meadow Lane by Writtenbyabdex. It's marked as Mystery and has Edward, Bella and Alice and Jasper as the main characters. It is very well-written and it'll make you want to keep reading.**

**_Summary: Lost between the man that bought her and the one that could not afford her, Bella tries to navigate the bonds of an arranged marriage that separates her from the man she loves. How does a man move on when his heart is meant for the one person he can not have. How do their lives effect those who live a century later? Will what was lost be found?_**

**Check this out if you can. It's really good. :)**

**I'll see you tomorrow, hopefully.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	96. Chapter-96: Croak

**A/N: Hey, guys! Happy reading. :)**

**Chapter-96: Croak**

**Word Prompt: **Croak

A single word meant to inspire immediate thought. Write what your imagination dictates.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

He looks at me through the mirror and swallows thickly, looking paler than I've seen him in some time. "I'm fucking scared," he croaks the words out.

Alice rolls her eyes at him as she comes to stand beside me. "Pull yourself together, man. It's not the end of the world. You should be ecstatic like prancing around butt-naked in pouring rain."

He scowls at her and retorts, "And you asked why I chose Bella instead of you. You'd make the worst fucking groom's maid in the history!"

She crosses her arms over her chest and pokes her tongue out at him. "Huh! I'm pretty sure I'd be the _only_ groom's maid in history. I can't be worse than myself."

"You can't be sure when the subject is you," he says under his breath.

"What did you just say, McCarty?"

Sensing the rapidly spreading hostility among the two, I step forward. "Okay, people, cut it out," I say, looking first at Alice and then at Emmett and then back again. "Alice, lay off of him today. He's already sweating bullets. You don't want him to get pit stains on his tux, do you?"

I wait to see Alice shake her head vehemently before turning to Emmett. "Em, what are you afraid of? You said you wanted to get married."

"I do want to marry Rosalie, Bell," he answers.

"Then what's the problem?"

He grimaces. "It's gonna be a big ass responsibility to look after someone else beside myself."

Alice tilts her head to the side and asks, "You don't think you're ready?"

When he looks at us, he looks lost. "I don't know, Alice. She's too important to me. I just don't want to fuck anything up."

"You won't," I tell him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Em, you've always looked out for me like a true big brother. So I know you can handle the responsibility. Don't doubt yourself, bro."

Alice joins me then. "You two will be so happy, Em. I just know it."

He smiles and that's when the sound of loud poundings on the door startles us all.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

When I open the door, I'm momentarily struck speechless at the sight of Edward standing in front of me ... in his black tux. The sight of his frantic eyes searching mine makes me snap out of my day dreams though.

"Edward, what are you doing here?"

He opens his mouth to answer me when Ben, Rosalie's other bride's man, speaks up from behind him. "Is Emmett inside?"

Hearing his name, Emmett says, "I'm here, man. What's wrong?" He takes a look at their faces and takes a sharp breath. "She's changed her mind, hasn't she? Fuck! I never thought that she'll actually not want to marry me."

Edward gives my hand a squeeze before stepping inside the room and addressing my freaked out cousin. "Emmett, she hasn't changed her mind. She's just worried that you might."

"What? Why would she think that?" He looks confused as he asks.

Ben walks into the room and looks at Edward. "Tell him, Ed. He deserves to know."

"What are you ...?"

Emmett doesn't get to finish his question as Edward holds out a small gift bag to him. "She said you'd understand," he says, handing the bag to Em.

Em takes the bag, opens it and pulls out what looks like an egg from inside. One second. For one long second he simply stares at the contents inside. Ben stands next to him and says, "She's been driving us nuts with the worry that you'll back out after knowing."

"Like hell I will," Emmett responds as he hands me the bag. "Hold on to it for me, Bells."

I peek into the bag and see a small toy egg nestled inside. Alice looks at Em questioningly, and after he nods, she reaches for the egg to hold it up for closer inspection.

It's a plastic egg toy with the picture of a chicken monogrammed on it. Beneath the chicken picture, however, is one word scrawled on with a sharpie—Jr.

"A Chicken Jr. egg?" Alice asks no one in particular.

It's Edward who answers her. "Rose found out this morning," he says softly.

"Really?" I ask in wonder at his revelation.

He nods, a smile sneaking up on his face.

I can't help but smile back when I hear Emmett say loudly, "Come on, people. I have a woman to make my bride before she can be my baby mama."

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

Standing across from Edward at the altar, I cheer for the newly married couple as by cousin kisses his bride loudly. The tears rolling down Rose's face makes my heart clench in happiness for them.

My eyes find Edward's, and I can see my happiness reflected in his eyes. And that's when I know. Someday, I want a family with a husband and kids and I want to have them with the man smiling at me.

_Edward._

**A/N: Share your thoughts with me and leave a review. :)**

**Because many of you have asked this in the last chapter, yes, this story is winding down. We're four chapters away from hitting the complete button. But we had a good run, right?**

**Stay tuned for a surprise from me in about two hours. I hope you'll enjoy it. ;)**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	97. Chapter-97: Patio

**A/N: Happy Reading. :)**

**Chapter-97: Patio**

**Word Prompt: **Patio

**Plot Generator—Idea Completion: **Being pulled in different directions.

An idea or concept is presented. Follow where it leads you.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Why are you really here, Edward?"

I start at the sound of Reneé Swan's voice. "I uh ..." I stop before gathering my composure and continuing. "Bella was missing you and Charlie."

She takes a seat across from me and looks me squarely in the eyes. "I know. But I also know that my daughter is self-reliant enough to be able to drive down herself to meet us. So tell me, why are _you_ here?"

I feel confused as fuck at her questions. Earlier, she had been nothing but welcoming of me when we came for a visit. Now? Now she's acting like a member of a Spanish inquisition squad. It's like being pulled in different directions. I want to be honest, but I don't know if honesty is the correct answer.

Finally, I decide to just go for it and say, "I wanted to talk to Charlie."

"Talk?" she prods again. "Or to _ask_ him for something?"

_How the fuck does she know?_

With a straight face, I answer, "I want to talk him into giving me what I ask him for."

At last, a satisfied smile takes over her face and she nods to the back door of the house. "He's in the patio. Good luck."

Swallowing my fears, I keep my head held up high as I walk out to talk to the Hulk.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

He glances at me before going back to the steak he's got cooking on the grill. "What's up, Cullen?" he asks gruffly.

"Charlie, I uhh ... I wanted to talk to you," I start.

He huffs loudly, making the ends of his ridiculous mustache flutter a little. "Spit it out, will you? I haven't got all day."

"Yes, I …" I stop to take a deep breath and start talking again. "Charlie, I know you hate me … which is perfectly understandable given that I pissed on your car ..."

"Pissed?" he grumbles. "More like emptied up your goddamn bladders … all three of you."

I scratch the back of my head and nod, feeling mortified for the hundredth time for that little stunt of mine. "I know and I'm extremely sorry for that. But that doesn't change what I want to talk to you about." I push away all the images of his gun collection running through my mind as I say the next few words. "Charlie, I love your daughter. I know you think that I'm an irresponsible jerk, but I promise to …"

"Damn it!" His sudden cursing stops my rambling. He scowls at me before sighing loudly. "I knew this was coming. I'm not gonna lie and say that I had hoped that Bella will grow out of this little crush on you she had going on; because trust me, Cullen, when you piss on a man's car, he's bound to hate your guts."

"I'm sor …"

He cuts me off with a wave of his hand and continues talking. "But I don't hate you … not anymore. And I don't think you're an irresponsible jerk either."

_Wait, what? Shall I look for body-snatchers?_ I wonder for a moment before I find my voice. "What?"

He finally cracks a smile and raises a hand to pat me on the back. "I couldn't hate you after I saw you go crazy for my baby girl, Cullen," he says. "Any man who goes that kind of crazy for a girl can be anything but an irresponsible jerk." He stops talking, and then there's a moment of stunned silence.

When I can find my voice again, I say quietly, "Like I said, Charlie, Bella is everything to me. I can't promise to be responsible always because … well, I'm not a robot, but I promise to keep her smiling."

He's silent for a moment before saying with a nod, "I don't think you need my permission, kid, because we both know she loves your sorry ass. So I'm gonna give you my blessings to make her happy." I feel a shocked smile taking over my face before he adds as an afterthought, "Oh and to steer clear of her gun point. She's like a cracker when it comes to guns."

I let his words sink in before I understand what true nerves feel like.

_Oh fuck! How am I going to ask her to marry me?_

**A/N: Thoughts? Share them with me and leave a review.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Three more chapters to go.**

**If you haven't read my new drabble-fic, Cama de Rosas, check it out. It's short and it's completed.**

**See you tomorrow.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	98. Chapter-98: Flirt

**A/N: I wanted this to happen from his POV, so we get PLPBWard again. :)**

**Chapter-98: Flirt**

**Word Prompt: **Flirt

**Dialogue Flex: **"I'd like to try something different this time."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"Will you do me the honour of marrying me?" I asked before shaking my head.

"Will you marry me, Bella?" I tried again.

"Yes, Edward, I'll marry you."

"No, no, this is better: Oh Eddie-poo, you're the sweetest. I'm dying to marry you ..."

The extremely fake girly voices of my asshole best friends broke through my concentration, and I let out a frustrated groan. "Can't you fuckers let me be for a few hours? I've got shit to get done before tonight."

Ben actually has the audacity to bat his eyelashes at me as he says in a pouty voice, "Aww ... Eddie-poo, did we make you mad?"

Before I can do more than throw him a glare, Jasper butts in with his two cents. "And just FYI, man, if you wanna take a dump, go to the bathroom. We really don't relish the thought of walking in on you in the middle of 'doing your shit'," he says sardonically complete with air-quotes.

"Shut your pie hole, Assper," I retort, turning my glare to him.

Ben walks into the room and rolls his eyes at me. "What I don't get, man, is why the fuck are you practicing this shit? It's like seeing you preparing to flirt for the first time. You'll get the girl. Hell, she's already yours."

Deep down, I know that he's telling me the truth. Bella is mine. She loves me just as much as I love her. But that doesn't do anything to reduce my level of panic. In the back of my mind, there's only one question playing._ What if she isn't ready? What if she says no?_

As if he could hear my thoughts Jasper walks up to me and pat me on the back. "Cheer up, man, it's gonna be okay. She'll say yes."

"I hope so, man," I mumble as they walks out of the room to let me get everything ready for my date.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

She walks inside the empty café and stops in her tracks for a moment, probably picking up the lack of babble around her. But when her eyes meet mine, she smiles and walks up to me. "Hey," she greets me, raising her face toward me in a silent request for a kiss. Once I've kissed her hello, she smiles against my lips and says, "I'd have never expected you to want to have our anniversary dinner in here. You do remember that this place holds very nosy staff, right?"

"Well," I reply, taking her hand in mine and leading her to what has become _our_ table in the past one year. "I took you to a fancy restaurant for our six months anniversary. So I figured that I'd like to try something different this time." I add as I'm pulling her chair out for her, "And don't worry about Katarina's long nose. She's gonna keep it out of our business tonight."

Her eyebrows raise in surprise as she glances at the weird counter-lady she thinks of as an annoying friend. "Really?"

On cue, Katarina smiles at her as she places two glasses of wine on a tray and starts making her way to us. "Hey, kids," she says, placing the drinks in front of us. "Your dinner will be served in a minute."

Without any crass word, she turns and goes back to the kitchen.

Bella stares at her retreating form for a moment before turning her eyes at me. "Okay, what did you do to get her to shut up?"

I smirk at her. "I simply used my charm. I've been told that I'm extremely pretty for a guy."

She hits my arm with her hand and laughs at my words. "Yeah, yeah, I know you're a pretty boy. Now tell me."

"I asked her to keep her mouth shut," I say. When she raises an eyebrow indicating that she wasn't buying it, I add, "And I might have promised to help her to renovate the kitchen in her place."

Her eyes turn soft as she leans forward to kiss my cheek. "You agreed to do that for me?" she asks.

I chuckle before taking her hand in mine. "Bella, I'd do anything for you. Haven't I told you that already?"

"Not in so many words," she says shyly.

I open my mouth, but of course, Katarina being Katarina butts in as she walks out of the kitchen with our dinner. "Here you go ..." her exuberant screech lowers down a few octaves as I throw her a warning look. She quickly places the food on the table and excuses herself saying that she's taking her break.

_Thank fuck for that!_

Bella takes in the sight of the foods set in front of her and says in confusion, "I didn't know that they serve dinner here."

"They don't," I respond, feeling my palms suddenly get sweaty with nerves. "I uh ... I made arrangements to have these delivered here. Katarina was just acting like a server for tonight."

"Are you serious?" she asks, her eyes wide with amazement. Then she looks around and asks again, "Is the empty café your doing too?"

"A little bit." I try to look all nonchalant, but then give up when her eyes look into mine. "Yeah, I didn't feel like sharing you with anyone tonight."

She smiles softly as she reaches out to place a hand on my face. "I love you, Edward," she tells me, giving me the courage to go for the ultimate goal ... her.

Taking her hand in mine, I place a kiss on her palm before standing up and pulling her with me. She looks startled by my sudden action, but follows me nonetheless.

When she's standing in front of me, I take a deep breath and drop down on one knee, making her let out a loud gasp. I clear my throat and start speaking, hoping like hell that by the end of this night, this amazing woman will be mine for keeping. "Bella, the moment I saw you walking out of this café, you made me smile. You made me forget about my shitty day and made me feel grateful to be alive. The night I saw you in that gay bar, you intrigued me. You made me want to know you. The day you called me pretty to my face, I realized that I _had_ to know you. It wasn't an option for me anymore. The day you cried in my arms for my sister, I fell in love with you. And the day I almost lost you, I knew I had to have you forever."

She sniffles as she looks down at me, tear tracks making their way down her cheeks. Immediately, I feel my fears take over.

_Is she crying because I said something stupid?_

_She's not ready for this yet. Damn it!_

_Why is she crying like this?_

_Fuck! She's breaking up with me._

Shock, panic and worry grip me as I watch her try to stem the silent tears falling from her eyes. She blinks back the tears and swallows.

Her voice sounds hoarse with her tears when she whispers, "What are you saying, Edward?"

Holding her hand in mine, I say, "I'm saying that I love you, Bella. And I want to scream my love for you from every rooftop in the Seattle area. But there's a little issue of trespassing that might be involved with that plan. So I'll settle for putting my ring on your finger and calling you Mrs. Cullen for the rest of our lives." I stop to take a breath before continuing. "What I'm asking, Bella, is for you to let me love you forever. Marry me, baby. Be my wife."

She stays quiet for a long moment then she's on her knees too, facing me. She brings her hands up to link them behind my head and pulls me to her lips for a deep kiss.

I taste the salt of her tears of her lips as I lick them. She opens for me, welcoming me. When we can't breathe, we separate our lips, and then she says, "Yes, Edward, a hundred times yes. I love you, Pretty Boy."

That moment, looking into her deep chocolate eyes, I see our future together and it's fucking perfect.

**A/N: *Sniffles* Everyone okay?**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review, please?**

**One more update coming up tonight.**

**See you in a few.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	99. Chapter-99: Grill

**A/N: This is the second to last chapter, people. Keep on dreaming. :)**

**Chapter-99: Grill**

**Word Prompt: **Grill

**Dialogue Flex: **"I'm under no obligation."

Using the provided snippet of dialogue, explore what comes to mind, be it a scene, a thought, or something else.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

"There's no use in grilling me, guys, I'm not saying anything," I say firmly as I look at my best friend and my cousin in the eye.

Alice rolls her eyes at me and nudges my shoulder with hers. "Of course, you are. You simply have to."

Emmett, being Emmett, doesn't stop from getting his two cents in. "You love us, Bells. Hence, you're supposed to tell us."

I give him a quizzical look. "Hence? Since when do you say hence? And you," I continue, pointing at Alice. "I'm under no obligation from you. So I don't need to tell you anything."

"Come on, please." This time, it's Eleazar who joins the two clowns in pleading with me.

"Et tu, Boss?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

He grins and puts an arm around me in the older brotherly way he has always treated me. "Kid, I love you like my own sister. You know that, right?"

I nod, suddenly feeling a lump rising in my throat.

_Damn it! I promised Dad not to be all emo chick today._

"Yeah," I manage to reply. "You've been more of a brother than a boss to us all, Eleazar."

Alice and Emmett nod, silently agreeing with my words.

Eleazar smiles at all three of us and turns to me before saying, "So as an older brother, I'll not want to hear about your wedding night, but last night is a different case entirely."

I gasp when I realize that he's been baiting me all this time. "What ...?"

He lets go of me and throws an arm across Emmett's shoulder, looking more like his best friend than boss. "Yep," he says with a wide-ass grin. "Curious minds want to know what happened last night when the Chief caught Edward sneaking into the property to see you."

Immediately my mind goes back to the night before when Edward tried to climb the tree outside my parents' house to see me one last time and subsequently, fell down on his ass, waking my dad up in the process.

Because my fiancé was a smart man, by the time dad had come out of the house clutching his beloved Glock, Edward was sitting inside his car on the driveway, looking cool as a cucumber. When dad had asked him what he was doing there, glancing back and forth between Edward and his fucked up cop car, my Pretty Boy had acted like he had come only to invite him to join him and his friends for a few drinks.

Looking down through my window, I had witnessed my dad actually smile at him before nodding.

I'm pulled into the present by the sound of Alice's voice. "Tell me he peed on your dad's car again."

I shake my head. "Nope, not telling a thing. My lips are sealed." Speaking of lips, I remember how Edward had sneaked back into my room hours later with the help of his best friends, looking like he had won a fucking lottery. I feel my cheeks heat up as my mind pulls up images from the night before when Edward had demonstrated a small trailer of how much he's gonna _savor_ me once I'm his in every way.

The sound of an incoming text message makes me stop the train of thought. Grabbing a handful of the waves of white satin flowing down the length of my body, I stand up and go to grab my phone.

The message sitting in waiting for me makes me grin, blush and feel deliriously happy in the span of a few moments. It says—

**_I love you, Isabella Swan. I feel like your smell is still wrapped around me ... like I can taste you on my tongue even now. Just the thought that the next time I make love to you, you'll be Isabella Cullen is enough to make me grin like a fool. I'm foolishly in love with you, soon-to-be-Mrs. Cullen._**

**_Pretty Boy_**

With a goofy grin on my face, I type out my response.

**_That's a very good thing then, Mr. Cullen, because I happen to be foolishly in love with you too. We can be fools together now. I love you, Edward Cullen. You are the best thing in my world._**

**_Mystery Girl_**

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**A/N: One more chapter left, guys.**

**Share your thoughts with me and leave a review?**

**I'm donating a one-shot to the Fandom4lls cause. It's called Of Heaven and Hell. Check out the teaser and banner on the link below:**

** fandom4lls . blogspot 2015 / 07 /teaser-of-heaven-and-hell-by. html (remove the spaces before you hit go).**

**Also, I'm going to donate an outtake of DreamWeaver to Fandom4DisasterRelief. So let me know if there's something you'll like to read about from this crazy journey we had.**

**Thanks for reading.**

**See you next time.**

**Take care.**

**Ann**


	100. Chapter-100: Magnify, Glorify, Terrify

**A/N: This is it, guys. The last chapter. So for the last time, happy dreaming. :')**

**Chapter-100: Magnify, Glorify, Terrify**

**Word Prompts: ** Magnify, glorify, terrify

Choose one word and write what your imagination dictates. For an added challenge, include all three words in your entry.

**~*~*~*DreamWeaver*~*~*~**

The moment I walk into the house, I sense something is wrong. Be it because of my tingling spidey senses or the lack of lights in the place, I just know that something is not right.

Taking a few more steps inside, I finally see a sliver of light coming from the doorway of our bedroom.

_Bella's home? At this hour?_ I'm slightly confused because my beautiful wife is supposed to be at work right now, busting some poor fucker's ass for organised crime. A sudden wave of worry clouds my mind as I wonder if she's sick again. Bella has been feeling sick for the past few days.

"Bella? Baby?" I call out from the slightly open door to our bedroom. The only answer I get is sniffles coming from inside. Immediately, I'm on my guard. Something that can make my brave girl cry has got be terrifying.

"Edward?" The sound of her broken whisper does nothing but magnify my worries. I don't hesitate as I push open the door and step inside.

I find her sitting cross-legged on the floor with her back resting against the side of the bed. In the blink of an eye, I'm next to her. I don't waste a moment before taking her in my arms and looking her over, making sure she's alright.

She grips the back of my shirt in both of her hands and burrows close to me, hiding her face in my chest.

_Fuck! What has happened?_

I pull away and take her face in my hands, searching her eyes for any sign of hurt. "Baby, what is it? What's wrong? Tell me, Bella. Please," I plead with her.

She sniffles and shakes her head a little. "I'm okay ... just scared."

"Why, love?"

She blinks away the tears and says, "I don't know how to take care of a baby, Edward. What if I mess him up?"

It takes a moment to register in my brain and then I'm holding her chin in between my fingers, looking at her intently to make sure she's saying what I think she's saying. "You mean ...?" I stop to take a breath and start again. "We ... that's ... us ...? Really?"

A small chuckle leaves her as she watches me flounder to find the words. "Yes," she whispers with a confirmatory nod. "We've created a life together."

I'm stunned silent for a moment before asking, "When did you find out?"

She bites her lip and says, "A little while ago. I was feeling sick again so Eleazar told me to go home and rest. On a whim, I brought a few pregnancy test kits on my way home."

I pull her on my lap and kiss her lips hard, trying to put all the emotions coursing through me in that kiss. She's breathing hard when we separate. Taking her face in my hands, I kiss her forehead and say, "Thank you, Bella. You don't know how happy I am right now."

"Really?" she asks, her eyebrows scrunching up a little. "Why aren't you scared? Between us and our crazy families, the kid will be messed up for sure."

"Because I'll have you to share the blame with," I respond with a wink, making her slap my chest playfully as she giggles. I wait until she quietens before continuing. "Baby, this child is gonna be a perfect blend of the two of us. How can something so precious be anything but perfect? Besides, we'll have each others' backs when the kids tag team against us in the future."

"Kid_s_? How many kids are you planning to have, Mr. Cullen?"

With a grin I answer, "Well, Mrs. Cullen, I'd have loved a dozen, but I'll settle for at least a couple more—one like you, one like me and another like the both of us."

She laughs before leaning in to kiss me. "You have it all planned out, haven't you?"

"It came to me in a dream," I tell her. "You are my dream, beautiful. You make my life a glorified dream."

She smiles mischievously as she stands up, pulling me with her. "In that case, Pretty Boy, let me make your dreams _come_ true," she says seductively, starting to unbutton my shirt.

I can't help but sigh with utter contentment because I have this perfect woman in my life ... a life I've dreamt of since the day she smiled at me for the first time. She is the best kind of dream ... a dream filled with love, laughter and happiness.

**A/N: And ... scene! *Breaks out into wailing sobs***

**This story has been an outlet for me. It has been a delight to be able to weave these prompts into one big story. And I've loved every minute of it.**

**There are a few people I want to thank for sticking with me throughout this journey. I know I sucked at replying to your reviews, but your kind words never failed to inspire me. So a massive round of thanks goes to ****savannavansmutsmut, ****sujari6, LilyZ, mdsngrc, ****en-mi-corazon-para-siempre, Vagabonda, Taylor9901, Mysticalgirl01, sherylb, cbmorefie, Judyblue95, ellaryne, cullengirl08, debslmac, tulips3, 2muchtrouble, Mireads, robyn odei-ntiri, jule2, trisha63, snoopylover60, CoppertopJ, cctwilight, alc1002, dazzleglo, sueIZide, jay7795, MountainTop76, and most of all, my Granma, DataByteDL-FangirlinGranma for keeping up with this crazy dream of mine ... for holding me up when I felt down and loving PLPBWard and his Mystery Girl. Thank you, guys. I love each and every one of you. Truly.**

**I hope you enjoyed the ride with this one. I'm donating an outtake of this story to the Fandom for Disaster Relief cause. So let me know if there's something specific you'd like to read about.**

**Thank you**

**Thank you for reading, guys. See you in another journey.**

**Take care and don't forget to dream.**

**Love you. Xoxo**

**Ann**


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